


Red & The Wolf (Bigby x OC)

by Nyvera



Category: The Wolf Among Us
Genre: Attraction, Canon-Typical Violence, Curses, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hate to Love, How Do I Tag, I Tried, Love/Hate, Minor Character Death, Murder Mystery, Secret Identity, Secrets, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-07 16:56:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 29,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7722484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyvera/pseuds/Nyvera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The name you made for yourself after the exodus is Victoria Van Helsing, people who knew your story would recognize you as Red Riding Hood. But you are no longer that scared little girl that escaped the Big Bad Wolf, you vowed after your grandmothers death that you would grow stronger to protect yourself and others from all the things that go bump in the night.</p><p>  After the events of The Wolf Among Us, Snow White calls upon Victoria to come and help maintain order in Fabletown as a Lieutenant along side Sheriff Bigby unbeknownst to both Victoria and Bigby. While things ended well with the Crooked Man's case, there could have been a lot less bloodshed. That is where Victoria comes in, with her past of serving Fabletown from outside the city, she has faced many evil forces that posed a threat to the fables new way of life. Those whom she convinced to move to Fabletown registered with the Business Office and became documented fable citizens, others who would not give up their murderous and dangerous ways were captured and disposed of down the witching well. Now with most of those monsters gone its time for her to try and settle down and try to live a normal life without the fear of death and danger around every corner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing fan-fiction of any kind, like ever, and I'm really nervous I'm not much of a writer at all so it's kind of giving me anxiety just thinking about it XD.. But anyways, I just finished playing The Wolf Among Us like a few months ago, I know that's pretty sad that I didn't realize how awesome it was sooner, but I fell in love with the story and had started this little story in my head and just had to write it down. Anyways, any feedback would be great! Criticism, compliments, what I should work on etc. Enjoy!

The minute Victoria arrived in Fabletown she felt much lighter, as if she was finally finding some small bit of peace in this world. Sure Fabletown was a shit hole and most the people in it were just as unpleasant it seemed, but it had a sort of charm about it that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

Being the towns hunter she never actually got to spend time there, mostly just to drop off fables to the Business Office to become citizens or to drop the occasional body down the Witching Well and then she was out there in the world once again chasing after some rotten bastard.

The second Snow had called her and offered her the job she jumped on it without a second thought, she had grown tired of constantly running around chasing rouge fables only for each case to mostly end with the absence of another fable life in this already small community. As Victoria's taxi slowed its pace it stopped at what looked like a run down old tenant building that looked like was having patch work done to a rather larger hole in its exterior. "Here we are ma'am" the taxi driver said.

"Well, it could be worse I suppose.." Victoria mumbled under her breath while she grabbed her singular duffle out of the trunk. This must be Toad's Tenement that Snow had mentioned, which now was going to be another one of Victoria's responsibilities along side being the towns new lieutenant to the Sheriff. Whom she would be meeting in Snows office in about three hours.

Upon entering the building, Victoria was meet with the strong smell of must and decay which was to be expected of a building this old, nothing a bit of deep cleaning wouldn't help. Heading towards her door she was greeted with one small comfort of a shiny new set of locks.

What she found inside was not what she expected, compared to the outside of the building this apartment was rather nice and well kept all things considered. All of Toad's personal belongings were moved out along with his sons but all the furniture and appliances still remained.

The layout was fairly simple; a greeting area with a living room just to the right and down few set of steps, to the left was the door to hallway that had a small guest bedroom and restroom to the first door on the left and right across from that was a decent sized kitchen, and at the end of the hallway was the master bedroom and bath. Compared to the places Victoria stayed, this was a luxury.

Victoria set down her duffle and started arranging its contents to its respected places around her new home. Since she always taught herself to pack light she was done in no time at all, so she went on to start what cleaning she could till her appointment with Snow and the Sheriff.

When it reached 12PM she decided it would be a good time to head towards the Woodlands, an hour should be plenty enough time to walk over while familiarizing herself more with the towns layout. She quickly changed into a simple black v-neck shirt with a pair of blue jeans and her favorite pair of boots. She preferred wearing basic colors to contrast against her bright auburn hair and whiskey colored eyes. With that and a quick makeup check she was out the door and welcomed to the spring afternoon.

To her surprise she didn't encounter as many people as she thought, 'Why isn't everyone out enjoying this weather?' she pondered while looking up at the sky, only a few clouds in sight. As if right on cue Victoria ran smack into something, or someone, that reeked of booze. "Oh shit, I'm sor-!"

"Why don't you watch where the fuck you're going?" interrupted the stranger starring straight at her with his one good eye and an annoyed sneer.

"Ha, I'm sorry, I was caught up with enjoying the weather and wasn't paying attention," Victoria said with a nervous laugh. "I'm Victoria by the way, kinda new in town, and you are...?"

"Gren, now piss off." huffed the man, he seemed irritated about something.

"Wow, what a charmer the ladies must love you and that dashing personality you got there." laughed Victoria trying to lighten the mood with this obviously pissed off guy.

At that Gren couldn't help but smirk "Well if you ever stop by the Trip Trap here next time for a drink you just might find out."

"I might just have to then," smiled Victoria "anyways I have an appointment at the Business Office I really must get to, try working on that scowl a bit more till the next time I see you will ya? It needs a bit more work." At that Victoria continued walking and waved a goodbye to a possible new friend, leaving Gren to shake his head and look down kicking a small stone on the sidewalk. "Victoria, huh.." Gren whispered with a small smile on his lips he wouldn't dare let anyone see.

Upon reaching the woodlands and opening she made her way up the all too familiar steps of the apartment complex and into the lobby where a constantly sleeping Grimble sat 'Guard'. "You're working to hard Grimble!" shouted Victoria only earning her a muffled grunt from Grimble as she walked to the elevator and pushed the button to call the elevator. She was fifteen minutes early, 'Oh well, gives me some time to catch up with Snow I suppose.'

Victoria gave a light knock before entering the Business Office and saw the familiar yet always stunningly beautiful face of Snow White. Victoria wasn't going to lie to herself she always was jealous of Snow Whites beauty, Hell who in this world wasn't?

At seeing Victoria come into the office Snow put on her most radiant smile and stepped away from her desk and extended her arms to pull Victoria into a shaky hug. "Red! It's so good to see you again, this time for good." Snow said with a bit of nervousness that Victoria couldn't help but pick up on. Snow was usually more reserved and calculated, why was she trying so hard to be warm and friendly? She even brought up Victoria's nickname Snow used fondly when they were back in the Homeland.

"Snow.. is everything okay?" Victoria said narrowing her eyes down at her friend trying to sense what she was so nervous about.

"What? Yeah everything's good, great, fabulous.." Snow said with a nervous laugh.

"Snow, I'm starting to lose my patience, you were never a good liar when it came to keeping secrets from me."

"Well, I um, can you promise me that when the Sheriff arrives that you won't lose your temper? I didn't want to lie to you but we really could use your help keeping order in Fabletown, and I know you would of laughed in my face and refused to come here if I told you who the Sheriff was." replied Snow eyes pleading for Victoria to understand.

"What do you mean Snow? I don't care who it is, I barely know most of the people in Fabletown! They can't be worse than-" Victoria pause hearing the door to the office open. The hair on her neck standing at attention to the all too familiar presence that entered the room. The smell was hard to miss even though it was covered up by what seemed to be cigarette smoke and whiskey, that musky smell of the forest sweat that always stuck to that monster and was ingrained in her mind forever. It gave her nightmares beyond her control and took the only family she ever knew away from her, it made her the beast she was today. His very presence boiled her blood.

"Hey Snow, sorry I'm late is my new help here ye-" Bigby looked up from that stack of papers in his hands to see a woman at snows desk hunched over and clutching the wood, shoulders shaking with what smelt like pure rage.

" **You've got to be fucking kidding me!** " the words dripped out of Victoria's mouth like venom. She cast a glance over her shoulder slowly, painfully to the monster standing in the door way to the Business Office whose face was contorted into a confused look. But this wasn't the face of the monster she remembered.

Her sent was so familiar, addicting even to the point it physically hurt Bigby not to lunge and indulge every bit of it.

"Um, I'm sorry I don't think we have met before," Bigby says while walking toward the mysterious girl before him.

Silence.

Snow looks at him pleading him to stop and not to continue forward with her eyes almost to the point of tears it seems.

"my name is Bigby, Bigby Wolf." Bigby reaches forward to lay a hand on her shoulder in hope of having her turn around.

" **BIGBY DONT!** "

As soon as the words left Snows mouth it had been too late, Bigby's hand was already at the girls shoulder, and in an instant feels her automatically tense and rip herself away.

At that point all Bigby knew was that this girl hated him for some unknown reason and a desk was being hurled in his direction.


	2. Chapter 2

At that moment Bigby had a few choice seconds to dodge the incoming object, just a quick dodge to the left.

Success.

But that wasn't the end of it just as Bigby jumped out of the way of the hurling desk he was tackled by that raging fire of a woman that threw the desk in the first place.

" **FUCK! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?** " Bigby grunted as he landed to the floor with a thud, Victoria was now straddling him pinning his head down by the neck with her forearm.

"I haven't done shit to you! That I can remember at least.. Am I supposed to know who in the Hell you are?" Bigby let out breathlessly struggling against the growing pressure on his neck.

"You think this is a game Wolf? You know exactly what you did you sick son of a bitch!" Victoria spat, eyes drilling holes into Bigby as she continued to apply pressure.

"Victoria please! Let him go! He's changed, he hasn't hurt anyone since we came to this world. He wants to help all the people in Fabletown, he wants redemption! Can't you give him a chance? He's not even fighting you back, please Tori!" Snow begged whilst trying to pry Victoria off of Bigby, tears staining her porcelain features.

"Well, you're going to be thoroughly disappointed then Snow. I will never work with this **FILTH**!" The last word Victoria spat putting as much hatred as she could muster into the word looking down at the beast that was struggling from underneath her.

Not being able to bare another word from anyone Victoria quickly released Bigby and ran out of the Business Office without a backwards glance.

Victoria couldn't fathom why in the world that Snow would ever think that she would be okay with working with the man that ruined her life. 'True his actions made me as strong as I am now but its inexcusable.. someone like that could never change, or could they?' ' **NO!** ' Victoria was having a mental battle with herself, the part of her that was still a scared child could never forgive the man that took all that was precious to her away, but this new life she had made for herself that had grow from that fear and hatred told her that everyone deserves to have the chance to save themselves from their past. That was her job after all.

Victoria within no time at all had found herself in front of her apartment door. After entering she could care less about how her stomach was protesting for sustenance and went straight into her bathroom to take a long shower and collapse into bed with the days events on replay in her mind.

But, in the corner of the room by her wardrobe she spotted something she hadn't noticed before, as she walked over she quickly became excited; it was a guitar. She had lost her old one in her last contract hunting a succubus which sadly ended with her smashing her beloved instrument into the head of the woman. Her grandmother had always said that if the mind was full of conflicting thoughts and feelings the best way to sort it out was to singing a song. So that's exactly what she did.

After she was done playing she felt as if she was at peace once again, and she knew now that in the morning she would make her decision.

**\---------------------------------------**

Walking into the Business Office that morning took everything Victoria had. There were still parts of her screaming to run to get away from this place but she had made up her mind and there was no turning back now.

Victoria opened the door without so much as a knock to find Snow and Bigby inside talking in hushed tones looking as if they hadn't slept all night, and by the amount of piled up paperwork stacked onto Snows upright desk she was probably correct in that guess. As she entered both heads shot up in her direction.

"If I am to work here then you are going to have to accept a few of my conditions." Victoria said crossing her arms at the entrance getting straight to the point.

Snow let a small smile creep to her lips, "Alright Tori, what are your conditions?"

"First of all, my past, it stays between you and me. Alright Snow?" At that Bigby cast a questioning glance at Snow, he didn't like when people kept secrets from him.

After a glance to Bigby and back to Victoria Snow let out a sigh. "Fine, what else?"

"Secondly, I get to keep a weapon on me at all times. Im not taking any chances with him around." Victoria raised a pointed finger in Bigbys direction eyes still locked with Snows, and before Bigby could say something Victoria continued.

"And lastly, this whole business uniform you guys got going on in the office," Victoria let out a playful smirk "don't expect me to follow the dress code alright?"

Snow couldn't help but smile and be relieved. "Done." she said striding over to hug Victoria and whisper and apology in her ear.

As she pulled away Snow let a devilish smirk play across her lips.

"Since your here and its officially your first day here as Lieutenant of Fabletown, you get the important job of helping us with paper work."

"I really should of thought this over for at least another day." Victoria sighed and hung her head down, begrudgingly following Snow to her desk.

Bigby automatically went and got another chair for the woman he now knew as Victoria, to which she muttered out a quite 'thanks'.

"Oh hey Snow, I almost forgot, sorry about the desk yesterday I lost my temper and I promise not to take it out on your things again." Victoria laughed while nervously scratching the back of her head.

"You should really apologize to Bigby over here, you should have seen the bruises on his neck he could barely speak without weezing!" Snow let out with a laugh thinking about last nights events after you left.

"Oh that's right you and Bigby haven't been properly introduced yet. Bigby Wolf, meet your new Lieutenant, Victoria Van Helsing." Snow said with a smile waiting for them to acknowledge each other and shake hands.

"Uh, its um, nice to meet you Victoria.." Bigby mumbled out, reaching his hand forward.

In response Victoria simply nodded her head and reluctantly reached her hand forward to shake his. When they touched she expected his grip to be rough and suffocating but to her surprise his grip was warm and gentle but still firm, his eyes drew her in and she couldn't help and stare back at the man before her. Now that she had a good chance to look at him she couldn't see anything that resembled the monster she once feared, he looked to be in his thirties and his eyes were brown and warm; not that frightening gold that she saw constantly following her in the darkness. He had brown tousled hair that brushed his ears to match and stubble along his jaw. If she didn't know him she would dare to say that he was handsome.

As soon and Bigby felt her hand connect with his something within him sparked, it was a feeling he had long ago when he used to be the Big Bad Wolf. It was that same feeling when he was close to catching his prey, her scent was like nothing else, it took everything not to act on that primal instinct that begged him to take what he wanted from her. She was beautiful and looked to be in her late twenties. Sure Snow was for the longest time all he thought about and he couldn't deny the affection he held for her, but in that moment Victoria was the only thing he could see. That tall slender frame, long auburn hair that tickled down to the small of her back, eyes like whiskey whispering to fulfill his desires, and skin as pale as starlight. She was downright intoxicating.

What Bigby didn't know was his grip on Victoria's hand was hardening painfully. In return she ripped her hand from his grip and for the rest of the day refused to look at him. The way he looked at her, it wasn't right.

'Does he really not remember what he did?' Victoria was back to fretting over the thoughts that plagued her mind. Only time would tell her if she would ever have to face the Big Bad Wolf again, if he would finally remember her and discover her secrets she wished to keep hidden.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it seems I have a few people reading this and that honestly makes me so happy even if it's just a small amount. I had actually started writing this a few months ago but was too scared to post it but re-reading it and seeing people actually like it has inspired me to pick it up again and post new chapters. So thank you guys for reading and don't forget to tell me your thoughts! Thanks!

_'Where am I?' Victoria found herself on the porch of a haunted looking Victorian looking home, she could have sworn she had seen this home before. She reached for the knob of the door and before she could grasp it the door swung open of its own accord. Lightning struck in the distance._

_That's when she heard it, the sound of a piano in the distance. Scales and Arpeggios rang in her ears but it sounded.. wrong.._

_Victoria didn't know what compelled her to move forward through the house but it was as if her body knew where it was going. As she went through the vast halls and ascended the main stairs as far as they could she found herself at the bottom of the steps to what looked like and attic space. But she was struck with a screaming fear. ' **RUN!** ' was what Victoria was screaming but her body paid her no mind to her pleads, it was as if she had no control. She opened the door._

_She felt tears streaming down her face but there were none, there in the center was a black grand piano. It's pianist slumped over head resting at the ledge, and over by the window was the figure of a man, who it was she could not tell._

_Her body again willed her to move forward as she approached the figure at the piano she saw it was a woman in her mid-thirties dressed in a beautiful gown, her neck adorned with a beautiful collar. The woman had long flowing white hair, glazed over green eyes, and jaw slack._

_Victoria's eyes widened upon further inspection to see the blood trailing down the keys of the piano, the woman's hands where cut clean off at the wrists and where gone._

_In an instant it was as if all function came back to Victoria as she started backing away from the body but as soon as her feet started moving she ran into a tall figure behind her; arms slowly wrapped around her._

_There was a hot sickly breath at her ear, "Soon my dear.."_

_***Knock* *Knock*** _

Victoria woke sitting up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. She couldn't remember the last time she had a nightmare that wasn't about the Wolf. The time on her nightstand read 6:03am.

_***Knock* *Knock*** _

Someone was at the door, her savior, she got up and quickly made her way to the door not caring to change from her simple tank top and shorts that were now covered in sweat. "One moment!" Victoria shouted to whomever was waiting for her, whoever this person was she was going to kiss them! She didn't think she could of spent one more minute in that horrible dream.

Pulling open the door she was greeted by none other than Bigby Wolf, 'It just had to be him, just my luck.' Victoira thought scowl showing on her face.

"What do you want?" not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice.

"We got a case, here." Bigby was unfazed by her distaste upon seeing him, he seemed to expect it by now.

Only then did Victoria notice what Bigby was carrying and now putting into her hands, coffee and a greasy bag of what she assumed to be donuts.

"Oh, um, thanks."

"No problem, now, not that I'm complaining but I'm sure people would talk if the saw you going to a crime scene dressed like that." Bibgy said with a wolfish smile on his lips pointing to her nightclothes with the hand that wasn't holding his own coffee.

"Shit, yeah one minute." embarrassed Victoria ran off towards her room leaving Bigby in the doorway.

"Mind if I come in?" Bigby shouted.

"Uh, if you must.." Victoria said voice painfully uttering each word.

"Well I assumed you'd want to take a quick shower too, you smell like sweat." Bigby said walking around her living room sipping his coffee idly.

"Yeah.. HEY KEEP THAT NOSE TO YOURSELF WOLF!" thankful Bigby couldn't see her reddening face.

After a quick shower and change Victoria emerged from her room with a gray v-neck, black jeans and boots, hair in a neat plait resting over her right shoulder. Bigby couldn't help but take a step towards her and take in her scent, hand reaching forward to inspect the beautiful braid.

Victoria was still, she was conflicted, having Bigby this close was not something she was used to. Sure he was still arms length away but that's closer than she had ever been comfortable with. This was the same monster that ate her grandmother for fucks sake! But part of her couldn't help but let her eyes roam his face, so different than the Wolf's that she had learned to fear, rough still but she could see the softness in his eyes.

She quickly came to her senses, "S-so where are we going?" Victoria tried to bring them both back to that task at hand, stepping away from him and towards the door to fish out her keys from the pocket of her jeans to lock the door behind them.

"Sorry, were going over to the East side of town where some of the nicer homes in Fabletown used to be, but a lot of them have just started rotting away since no one can afford to live in them anymore." Bigby said following Victoria out acting as if what just happened was normal.

"Alright lead the way."

**\----------**

As they arrived Victoria felt her stomach sink, it had to be the fucking house from her nightmare.

"So, to summarize we got a call earlier this morning at the Business Office from some kids that said they found their mother dead with her hands missing, unresponsive.." Bigby said voice showing no emotion.

"Snow came straight away to get the kids out and back to the Business Office, shes questioning them now." Bigby said walking toward the door. He looked over his shoulder to see Victoria still at the sidewalk looking up at the house paler than usual the scent of fear but also anger on her.

"You okay? I assumed you've seen a dead body before.." Bigby said worried Victoria had no experience with this stuff, what was Snow thinking?

"Wha-? Oh no I'm fine, I've seen plenty of dead bodies most I was responsible for, it's just.."

"...just?" Bigby said narrowing his eyes at her.

"..it's just, oh never mind it's not important lets go, the fresher the better." Victoria said waving a hand to dismiss the thought.

As they entered the home it was exactly as she saw it in her dream just minus the storm and time of day, the daylight made it seem less menacing. As they got to the attic everything was the same except it was missing the mysterious lurking stranger.

Upon examination they both determined that the cuts to the wrists were surgically preformed, clean and exact, the hands the only things that were taken.

"Why would someone come to this side of town and break in only to kill and steal the hands of this woman?" Bigby said out loud to himself.

"I have no guesses, it's rather odd isn't it, what kind of sick bastard would do this? He must have a reason.." Victoria said walking around the room trying to look for any more clues to further the investigation.

"You think it's a man?" Bigby said walking over to Victoria, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, it's just a feeling you know?" Victoria said trying to mask her nervousness.

"Yeah, okay.. Well I think that's all we will learn here, we should go question the kids. Ill have Swineheart come collect the body and run tests."

As they exited the building Victoria let out a shaky breath she had been holding, no way can this be a coincidence. How in the Hell did she happen to have this exact dream about this woman and her death, 'How am I involved with this, I don't even know that woman! Or do I..?' Victoria was mulling the whole thing over in her head as she walked along side Bigby to the Business Office. Hopefully she would find her answers soon.

What did this all mean? Why was Victoria involved? And who the fuck is the mystery man?


	4. Chapter 4

Upon entering the Business Office Victoria and Bigby were greeted by Bufkin, whom Victoria hadn't seen since the last time she came to Fabletown to drop off the body of a shapeshifter who was causing troubles  in Baton Rouge.

"Bufkin! Long time no see, still drinking your weight in liquor?" Victoria said with a laugh, affectionately patting the flying green monkey on the head.

"Ms. Victoria, a pleasure as always, and sadly I am being cutoff by Ms. White and the Sheriff here." Bufkin replied with a sad huff. 

At that Bigby cut in, "Where's Snow, Bufkin? Did she learn anything from the kids?"

"Ms. White has requested the two of you wait here for her, she just finished up with the children. But I will let her know you arrived." Bufkin replied and flew off.

At that Victoria walked off to search through the books of documented Fables living in Fabletown to figure out just who this woman was and why she seemed so familiar, while Bigby decidedly plopped down on the nearest chair and put his feet up seeming irritated by the idea of waiting.

In no time at all Victoria found the image of the victim with her name, age, address, and relatives. 'Hm, Duchess age 32, children: Toulouse, Marie, Berlioz.' below that information was a small summary about Duchess and her family, apparently the father of her children had died before they were born and after she had relations with a Mr. Thomas O'Malley, whom shortly after arriving in Fabletown went back to his wandering ways. But besides that there seemed to be nothing else of interest.

Nothing seemed to spark anything from her memory, 'I have never seen this woman before, why would I have a dream or vision about her death?', the very thought rattled Victoira's mind, bringing her back to the memory of when the strange man in the dream wrapped his arms around her and whispered into her ear. _"Soon my dear.."_

"Thank you both for waiting." came Snow's voice startling Victoria from her thoughts making her jump.

"About time, so what did you learn?" Bigby said pulling himself out of the chair he was reclining in, obviously ready to do some real work not even noticing Victoria's flustered jump.

"Well, not much actually. It's pretty simple, the kids woke up and went looking for their mother and found her.." Snow paused "I can't imagine how this is going to affect them." Snow finished with a somber voice.

"I didn't see any other family listed here in the book," said Victoria walking over to Bigby and Snow placing the book down "aside from a Mr. Thomas O'Malley who is listed here as an emergency contact. Where are they going to be staying?" Victoria further inquired trying to change the topic.

"Beauty and Beast actually jumped at the offer of taking care of them till we can find them a more permanent place, or find this Mr. O'Malley." Snow responded with a sigh leaning over her desk to look at the book.

"So we have nothing is what you're saying?" Bigby responded voice growing aggravated more by the minute.

"It appears so, we will just have to wait and hear from Dr. Swineheart and continue from there." said Snow.

"Well, this gives me a better opportunity to get to know Fabletown a little better, I'll go around and try to dig up any information on the family that I can around town." Victoria said already turning around to walk out of the Business Office.

"I'll come with you, I'm not gonna sit around here all day." Bigby replied jogging up next to Victoria.

"That's not necessary, really I can handle it." Victoria said a little bit to fast which made Bigby stop and give her a questioning look.

"To be honest I really just don't want to be stuck doing paperwork, plus I can show you around." Bigby said with a smile trying his best to befriend this woman who obviously just barely dealt with his presence. 

"..If you must." Victoria said between clenched teeth, her hand curling into a fist and then relaxing. The last thing Victoria wanted was the wolf to be following her around town all day but she would rather not get lost as well. 'If we are going to effectively work together I have to try and play nice.' the very thought disgusted her but no matter what he has done they were partners now.

"So, where do you think we should go first?" Victoria said as they stepped out of the Woodlands, putting her hands in her pockets and matching the pace Bigby had set.

"I thought we would start with trying to find this Thomas O'Malley, a guy like that sounds like he would hang around some of the bars located around town. Or perhaps the Pudding & Pie" Bigby replied he too sticking his hands into his pockets staring forward not looking at anything in particular, as if he was deep in thought. 

"The Pudding & Pie?" Victoria let out a laugh,"Sounds like a name of a shitty strip-club." she said looking up towards the sky, trying to imagine she was with someone else other than her worst enemy.

"Well.." Bibgy paused and scratched his head, "it is." he let out awkwardly.

"Oh." was all Victoria said and glanced at the man beside her trying to drill holes into it him simply with her glare. 'He's really taking us there? Why can't he just go by himself' Victoria cursed to herself.

As if Bigby could feel her anger and discomfort at the idea he stopped and turned to look at Victoria, just catching her turn her gaze away quickly as if she wasn't just looking at him and wanted to kill him on the spot.

Bigby coughed into his hand awkwardly clearing his throat and tried to ease the situation.

"You, uh.. you don't have to come with me if it would be too awkward for you.." Bigby said continuing forward.

VIctoria hastily threw her hands out in front of her waving of the insinuation at her discomfort and said, "No, no its fine really, lets just get it over with then okay?" she said forcing a small smile.

"Yeah, alright" was all Bigby offered in response.

'This is going to be harder than I thought' Victoria let out a sigh thinking to herself. 'This partnership is going to be the end of my sanity.'

"Well in order to make this all less awkward I'm gonna need a drink." Bigby said all of a sudden, casually glancing at the side waiting for Victoria's approval.

"Yeah I think that's something we can both agree on." Victoria said, letting out a small laugh.

* * *

"The Trip Trap?" Victoria commented eyeing the door to the bar suspiciously, it sounded familiar. The outside looked kind of like a dump but what place in Fabletown didn't besides the Woodlands?

"Yeah, it's owned by a troll named Holly, I just recently got on her good side so don't screw anything up okay?" Bigby said with a joking tone.

"Aye Aye Captain." Victoria said with a salute and the click of her heels as Bigby held the door open for her, earning her a chuckle from Bigby.

"Ah, hey Sheriff, what can I get yeah?" An older woman behind the bar said. 'She must be Holly.' Victoria thought to herself while taking in her surroundings with a small spin. 'It has a charming cozy feel to it I suppose, looks like its seen it fair share of fights though.' Victoria mentally noted while scuffing her boot across what looked like blood that had soaked into the wood floor not really paying attention to the small talk Bigby was making with the troll.

"Well, well, well." Victoria stopped her examination of the floor and slowly started to look up hearing the familiar voice approaching her.

"If it ain't the dolly daydreamer herself," Smirked Gren. "coming to get that drink? I've been working on my scowl and I think its greatly improved." Gren came to a stop in front of her crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"While I would love to say that is the case, I'm actually hear on business." Victoria replied mimicking Gren's stance and giving him a sly smile.

"Ah, so you're here with him then?" Gren's smirk dropping instantly as he points to Bigby sitting on a stool at the bar chatting with Holly behind him. 

"Unfortunately yes, I'm the new lieutenant for Fabletown and I have the not-so-fortunate pleasure of working with the Big Bad Wolf." Victoria said trying to get another smile out of Gren but to no avail. 

Victoria shifted nervously from foot-to-foot under Gren's disapproving gaze. "Wow, you're right, that glare is much more menacing now.." Victoria let out a shaky laugh trying once more to ease the tension.

At that Gren seemed to relax a little and offer a small smirk. "Well, even though you're working with that asshole I think I can forgive you" Gren said visibly relaxing and putting his hands in his pockets taking a step closer.

Victoria could smell the whiskey practically dripping of Gren, he was staring straight at her, a look she could only describe as drunken lust in his eyes. Victoria took a small step back as heat came across her face.

Gren took another step forward but then was caught by a hand at his shoulder, "Is there a problem here?" Bigby said, voice rough and irritated looking between Gren and Victoria.

"No, ah.. I um.. met Gren here my first day at Fabletown. Just saying hi." Victoria responded nervously like she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have.

"Yeah wolf, can't we just fucking talk without you thinking there is a problem? Oh, I forget you probably don't know what friends look like." Gren said practically growling, shucking Bigby's grip off his shoulder. 

Gren looked back to Victoria, "I'll see yah later for that drink you promised Vic." and with that left the Trip Trap obviously irritated.

Once the door closed Victoria looked back to Bigby who was not trying to hide his disapproving glare, his arms crossed in front of his chest like he was waiting for an explanation.

Victoria nervously scratched the back of her head, "I could really used that drink now."

"Yeah." Was all Bigby said.

* * *

It was just getting dark after Bigby and Victoria left the Trip Trap, so they started to make their way towards the Pudding & Pie after not being able to get much information from Holly about Thomas O'Malley besides coming in for the occasional drink when some of the other bars kicked him out.

"So.." Victoria started awkwardly. "You and Gren don't see eye to eye I'm guessing?" Victoria joked, nudging Bigby in the ribs with her elbow, the whiskey was definitely doing its work relaxing her. 

At that Bigby gave a small shrug, "Yeah, I guess you can say that, but it's more due to the fact we tried to kill each other and I almost ripped his arm off in the process."

"Well I can see how that would cause tension." Victoria laughed in earnest.

"It's not just him, no one in Fable town really trusts me, besides the few people I've managed to help in the case against the Crooked Man. The others.. well, they still see a monster," Bigby paused staring up and the darkening sky "just like you I suppose, but I'll change their minds in time." Bigby said to the sky like a silent vow. 

Victoria in that moment couldn't help but stare at the man before her now as if she was seeing Bigby and not the monster for the first time, who seemed to be praying to the stars themselves for salvation.

"Maybe you will.." Victoria whispered, not diverting her gaze. 

Bigby thinking that his own ears deceived him, whipped his head over in shock to the woman next to him. She wasn't just looking at him she was seeing into him, a glimmer of pity and sadness in her eyes, her scent hit him again, he couldn't help but indulge in it just once more. He had been fighting it all day but with the whiskey in him it was becoming harder to resist, and the way she was looking at him, he could devour her on the spot. 

Victoria could feel her heart hammering in her chest, why wasn't she looking away? He shouldn't be staring at her like that! When had he gotten so close? The lingering scent of cigarettes and whiskey stained his skin the smell was growing on her, when did it start becoming so inviting? 

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind that's when she saw it, that familiar gold devouring his brown eyes. That was all it took to bring her back from the daze and remember the monster that stood before her.

"The Pudding & Pie is this way right?" Victoria stated rather loudly taking her gaze off of Bigby and following where her finger was pointing.

"Oh, uh yeah it's this way." Bigby said face going flush.

* * *

'Classy' was all Victoria thought as she saw the Pudding & Pie, its customers lined up at the door already waiting for it to be their turn to enter and the shitty thumping techno music leaking out of the open door.

Bigby was waved in by the security guard but just as Victoria started following him in a beefy arm shot out and blocked her.

"Where do you think you're going?" came the deep gruff voice of the bouncer.

"If I were you Bern I would take your hand off of her shes got a wicked bite." Bigby said putting a hand on the Bouncers shoulder. 

"Don't worry she's with me, my new Lieutenant." Bigby added. At that the bouncer dropped his arm and let her through.

'Wicked bite?' She shot a glare at Bigby and he put his hands up defensively as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Stay close, as we get in its going to get even louder and more crowded." Bigby yelled in her ear over the already loud music. Victoria only gave him a simple thumbs up as the curtain parted to reveal the stage and dance floor crowded to the walls.

Parting through the crowd seemed easy for Bigby as everyone simply stepped out of his way like he would lash out at them at any second but for Victoria it seemed a much more difficult task as the crowd would shut directly behind Bigby each time and she would have to force her way through all the sweaty intoxicated bodies. She knew what she had to do to make this easier but she really didn't want to do it, she unfortunately had no choice or else the crowd would soon overpower her and she would lose Bigby among them. Victoria's hand shot out and quickly gripped the back of Bigby's shirt as she pulled herself through the crowd to his back, it immediately tensing when he felt her touch. Victoria tried to ignore the heat radiating from where she could feel his lean back under the shirt. 'Kill me now' was all she could think.

Finally they got through the crowd and made there way towards what looked like to be the owners back office.

"Not that I'm complaining about a beautiful woman being attached to me but you can let go now." Bigby said a humorous smile plastered on his face.

"Shit! Sorry.." Victoria mentally cursed herself over and over again.

When Bigby opened the door a small woman with short red hair threw her arms around Bigby's neck in an embrace.

"Bigby! It's so good to see you! Are you here on business or..?" the woman released him not even seeing Victoria standing right next to him awkwardly.

"Just business as it always is Nerissa. Can we talk somewhere private?" Bigby said obviously uncomfortable as Victoria was from the hug and the whole situation.

"Of course, come in come in." Nerissa ushered Bigby in only then noticing Victoria standing there.

Nerissa forced a smile on her face so fake that Victoria could of sworn she swapped out faces right before her eyes. "Whose your friend Bigby?" questioned Nerissa.

"My lieutenant." Bigby offered simply. 

"Oh? Well please come in?" Nerissa motioned to Victoria knuckles visibly whitening on the door she was holding open.

"Thanks." Victoria said not trying to hide the fact that she didn't want to be here at all.

"So what can I do for you?" Nerissa asked looking straight at Bigby sitting at the edge of her desk so their knees bumped together in the small office. Victoria couldnt help but roll her eyes and look positively disinterested. 'Oh I'm sure everyone just hates you Bigby Wolf.'

"We are looking for a guy, Holly said he's a regular here, Thomas O'Malley?" Bigby asked not seeming to notice any of Nerissa's flirtatious efforts.

"Oh? Yeah I know him, he used to be a regular of mine and Faith's.." Nerissa trailed off sadness becoming plain across her features.

"Has he been around recently?" Bigby further questioned.

"Wha-? Uh, no actually its kind of strange now that you mention it, I haven't seen him for a few days. Why? Is something wrong?" Nerissa questioned seeming to gain back her composure.

"Well right now he's our number one suspect in our case, his old girlfriend, Duchess, has been murdered." 

"Oh my God! That's terrible, I thought things were just returning to normal too.." Nerissa exclaimed with what Victoria could accurately assume was fake concern.

"Yeah, well if you see him give us a call would you?" Bigby said standing up clearly ready to leave this other dead end lead.

"Oh, of course, anything you need. Comeback and see me again and don't be a stranger!" Nerissa said standing up just as Bigby did putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Right.. uh, Victoria lets get out of here."

* * * 

"Well, that was a major waste of time.." Bigby said pulling out a cigarette as fast as he could and lighting it as they started walking away from the Pudding & Pie, the music fading into the background. Victoria wrinkled her nose in disgust as the cigarette fumes slowly surrounded her.

"Oh I don't know, Nerissa seems like a really great person! I feel like we bonded in there." Victoria said faking girlish glee in her voice and clasping her hands in front of her chest.

"Hahaha, laugh it up will yah?" Bigby grunted stomping out his cigarette on the pavement.

"But in all seriousness, I don't believe that she hasn't seen O'Malley. She seemed nervous." Victoria stated.

"I agree, shes holding something back, she didn't seem shocked when I mentioned Duchesses death." Noted Bigby.

"Well, this is my stop." Victoria pointed absently to Toads Tenant building behind her. And started walking in towards her own apartment door. Bigby still following her.

As she took the keys out of the door and stepped inside she turned to Bigby blocking the way into her apartment. Bigby seemed too lost in thought to even care.

"So... see you tomorrow?" Victoria said not knowing what else to say to break him from his trance.

"Hm? Oh yeah, uh, see you tomorrow." Bigby said just realizing what he was doing, awkwardly turning away and walking out of the tenant building.

Victoria closed and locked the door with an aggravated sigh. 'What a helluva' confusing day.' she thought as she made her way to the kitchen, only to realize she still had to go grocery shopping. "UGH!" she shouted, slamming the refrigerator door shut, her mind still reeling from all the events of the day, one in particular replaying in her mind.

"What is he doing to me?" Victoria said to herself walking to her bathroom to run the shower, and hopefully clean herself of the days events and thoughts. Even as the cold water hit her she couldn't stop feeling the heat of his skin and his smell hitting her senses, how her heart hammered as he was staring at her, inching closer. **'ENOUGH!'**  Victoria pounded her fist against the shower wall cracking the tile and splitting the skin on her knuckles. 

"Fuck!" Victoria cursed stepping out of the shower and wrapping herself in a towel, moving to bandage her hand. 

"Why is this happening to me, Grandmother?" Victoria couldn't help but let the tears run down her face, she felt ashamed.

She dressed for bed and crawled in clutching her knees to her chest silently begging her dreams be of anything besides the Big Bad Wolf.


	5. Chapter 5

_Darkness, small muffled cries in the distance._

_Victoria could feel cool concrete underneath her bare-feet, "Hello?" she tested her voice in the darkness, only her echoing words bouncing back to greet her. 'Please, not again..' she sent out a silent prayer reaching her arms forward trying to feel for a wall to guide her through this unfamiliar place._

_As she continued forward the crying grew louder, it reverberated in Victoria's mind, "Someone please help me.." the voice of a woman whispered in the distance._

_Victoria tried again, "Hello? I hear you, where are you?"_

_"No, no, no, no,_ _**NO, NO, PLEASE STOP** _ _!" the woman's voice grew panicked her cries more desperate, and yet it started becoming more familiar bringing back memories Victoria had from an old hunt._

_Victoria started to see it as she felt the wall turn right, a light, glowing in the distance but it felt wrong. As if the darkness was a safer place, a blanket that shielded you from seeing your fears. Yet, she continued forward._

_"Why,_ _**WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS** _ _?" the familiar voice of the woman cried out to whomever her captor was._

_"I'm here to make you..perfect." a new voice responded, drawing out the last word in his mouth as if savoring something sweet. A sick feeling started growing in Victoria's stomach, remembering this voice 'Soon my dear.'_

_Victoria reached the light and inside she was indeed faced with the horrors the eerie light had promised. A woman all too familiar to Victoria, laying on the floor blood coming from her four missing limbs the only thing left was her torso and two extra set of arms._

_At Victoria's entrance the woman's head snapped up, arm outstretched to her, "_ _**HELP ME** _ _, you promised I would be safe!" she started dragging what was left to her body toward Victoria._

_"You liar, you promised,_ _**YOU PROMISED** _ _!" screamed the woman, fear now replaced with fury._

_"You-"  the next thing Victoria saw was a fire ax swinging down upon the woman cutting her head clean off. The dark frame of a man still gripping the ax, back heaving._

_The light cast a shadow over the mans face but couldn't hide the white of his eerie smile slowly spreading across his lips._

_"I love your work.." the dark voice whispered_

***RING* *RING***

Victoria once again woke with a start, covered in sweat. Her cellphone buzzing away on the night stand.

Victoria wasted no time picking it up desperate to hear a small bit of reality.

"Hello?"

"Victoria? It's Snow, I realize it's early but I need you to come to the Business Office, Dr.  Swineheart's autopsy of Duchess came in and there's something else.."

"...what is it?" Victoria asked, already knowing the answer her stomach growing more sick by the second.

"There has been another murder, Bigby answered the call this morning. He asked me to let you rest but you need to see this.." Snow replied voice sounding full of worry.

"Alright I'll be there as soon as I can, Snow." 

"Right." Snow then hung up.

After a quick shower and change,(basic white v-neck,  jeans, and hair tied half up), she was out the door and walking her way to the Woodlands. 

*** * ***

"Kate.." Victoria said somberly looking at the dismembered woman laying on the same slab most dead fables do just before being sent down the Witching Well.

"I remember the day you brought her here, I never saw a woman more eager to jump at the opportunity for a second chance." Snow said from behind Victoria.

"So you did know her?" Came Bibgy's voice all of a sudden, making Victoria jump slightly.

"Yeah, I did. She was one of the first Fables I managed to actually convince to come to Fabletown and join  society. No family left to speak of." Victoria offered simply.

"Hmm, what was she?" Bigby inquired further.

"She was an Arachnes, hence the extra set of arms." Victoria answered begrudgingly, Bigby was just doing his job, there was no reason to get angry right now.

"There was a message from Kate's killer," Bigby said getting Victoria's attention, pulling out his phone he raised his screen towards her. There on the screen was the same room Victoria saw in her dream and Kate's body exactly where it was last she saw it. But written on the far wall behind her body was written 'I love your work'. Victoria's heart sank, Bigby must have noticed this as he continued further, "mean anything to you?"  

"Uh, well, not really.. What do you think it could mean?" Victoria stuttered out trying to find her voice.

"I don't know, it could mean a lot of different things, but I'm just curious as to who the message was for." Bigby said staring straight into Victoria's eyes looking for her to show him just what she was hiding.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get out there and find the bastard." Victoria said growing more impatient from Bigby's scrutinizing gaze.

"Before you two head out I thought I'd read you Dr. Swineheart's autopsy report of Duchess." Snow said approaching the two, not knowing of the mental stand off the two were having.

"It seems that Duchess had died of a morphine overdoes straight to the heart, Dr. Swineheart noted that he didn't think it was self administered, also just noted that Duchess and all her children had a permanent Glamour change done to them." Snow reported.

"Huh, that's how the bastard killed her, and that makes sense as to why the body didn't revert back." Bigby stated.

"And why the house wasn't in its peak shape, that kind of operation is expensive to perform, especially for a whole family. Its a wonder how they could even afford to keep the house." Victoria added.

"Well, they were a very wealthy family and like Bluebeard their wealth came with them." Snow idly mentioned.

"Alright, I think we've got all we needed to know from here. Let's go." Bigby said motioning for Victoria to follow.

"Be careful you two!" Snow called after then.

"Always." Victoria and Bigby said simultaneously giving each other a sideways glace.

*** * ***

"So, what happened to your hand?" Bibgy asked once they started out on the streets of Fabletown.

"Oh, um, my wall sort of antagonized me so I figured it needed some re-configuring." Victoria said with a laugh, deciding to be mildly truthful for once today.

"Right.." was all Bigby said, he seemed disheartened at the idea.

Victoria decidedly changed the subject, "Well, I don't know about you but I'm starving, and at some point today I need to go grocery shopping."

"Ah, right. Well I actually got a call from Nerissa last night saying that Hans had actually seen Mr. O'Malley, so I'm going to go question him. I'll meet you at your place after."

"Sure.." Victoria offered awkwardly. Even the mention of Nerissa's name left a bad taste in her mouth.

Victoria watched as Bigby continued walking down the street, lighting one of his cigarettes along the way and taking a long drag. 

'Good luck.' She thought.

*** * ***

As if right on cue as Victoria was trying to fish her keys out of her pocket whilst fumbling around with her haul of groceries she heard the voice of her partner from behind.

"Hey, let me help you with those." Bigby called out jogging up and shifting some bags from Victoria's arms against her will and protests of "No really it's okay, I got it."

"Don't get so flustered, would you like this to be your first impression for your neighbor Woody?" Bigby laughed lightly.

"Well, he's already caught me when I was in a mess once so I don't think it would be anything new, I doubt he would remember me though. It was a long time ago." Victoria responded without even thinking.

Bigby paused in the doorway as Victoria had responded and opened it, "What?"

Victoria's face went red. 'SHIT!' 

"You know Woody?" Bigby's eyes were staring daggers into her back.

"Oh, uh, yeah it was actually back home before the Exodus. I was on my way home when I unfortunately and foolishly found myself in the clutches of a bear trap. Broke the bastard open and was on his way. I don't think I ever got to properly thank him." Victoria said in her most convincing voice turning to flash a small smile at Bigby, trying to sway his doubtful mind.

It seemed to work cause he just shook his head in understanding and followed Victoria into the kitchen.

"It's a lot cleaner than the last time I saw all of toads apartment." Bigby said trying to make small talk it seemed. All Victoria wanted was for him to get out.

"Yeah." Was all Victoria said in response hoping Bigby would take the hint and wait in the living room while she put everything away, but alas the asshole sat himself down at her dining table and stared at her the whole time, as if that wasn't the most creepy thing he could have done.

She must have been ignoring him exceedingly well because when Victoria finally finished Bigby wasn't sitting at the dining table anymore.

"Bigby?" Victoria called out.

"This the wall that smart-mouthed you?" came Bigbys voice from her bathroom.

'Does he have no fucking idea what personal space is?!' Victoria was practically shouting so loud in her mind she almost outwardly stated her annoyance.  

"What the hell are you doing in my bathroom?" Victoria said as she found him studying the broken tile.

"I was bored, and I thought I smelt something off. It didn't smell like you, I can't place my nose on it." Bigby said casually stepping away from the wall turning towards Victoria.

"Well, I did just move in you know. This place is probably filled with weird smells." Victoria said crossing her arms over her chest and giving Bigby her best annoyed face.

"Nah, that's not it. You can't fool this nose." Bigby said with a smirk, tapping his index finger to the tip of his nose.

"Well, I can say it's totally not weird at all that my smell is that distinct to you, but is this weird scent anything I should worry about or can we get going?" Victoria said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Your smell is more than just distinct.." Bigby began taking a step forward, totally invading Victoria's personal bubble. But in the same instant he shook his head as if to wake ones self out of a dream and stepped beside her and out the door towards the living room.

"Don't worry about it, lets go, Hans gave me a lead on where to find O'Malley, if we hurry he should still be there." Bigby said, tone back to one of professionalism. 

Victoria was still plastered to the wall face growing bright red, 'What the fuck was that? Get a hold of yourself Tori, this beast shouldn't fluster you.' Victoria pushed down on the same hand that had punched the tile just the night before, letting the lingering sting bring her back to her right state of mind.

She slowly gained her composure and followed Bigby out her door once more.


	6. Chapter 6

"So, where did Hans say O'Malley went?" Victoria inquired once they were out on the street once more.

"Well, after they kicked him out for the night he went to the usual dives and got pretty fucked up in the process. Hans saw him passed out in one of the back alleys close to the Trip Trap, he was probably going to stop by Holly's for his last resort." Bigby said simply, whilst lighting a cigarette. 

"Right, well let's go." 

It didn't take them long to reach the Trip Trap and it took less time for them to find O'Malley then Victoria and Bigby thought, for as they started searching the alleyways they heard a very sloshed voice stumbling about singing " Thomas O'M-Maaaalley, oooooohhhhhh Malley th-*hic* the alleycaaaaaat" then came a huge crash.

"I think we found our man.." Victoria stated as they came across the helpless form of a ginger man trying, unsuccessfully, to gain his bearings. 

"Let's get him to the Business Office." Bigby groaned, obviously not wanting to deal with playing babysitter to a possible killer.

Between the two of them, it was a fairly simply task dragging O'Malley to the Woodlands, only the awkward stares of passerby to deal with the whole way back.

"You found him? That's great, put him down in the interrogation room." Snow called out as Victoria and Bigby entered the Woodlands.

With a little bit of coaxing, and a lot of water, Victoria and Bigby finally got Mr. O'Malley to a conscious, yet incredibly hungover state. 

"Where in the Hell am I?" was his first choice of words.

"You're at the Woodlands," Bigby offered simply and continued, "and you're gonna answer a few of our questions." 

"Look, if you're going to ask me about Duchess, I didn't do anything to harm the gal." O'Malley said all too causally for Victoria's liking.

"And we are just supposed to believe you because...?" Bigby asked taking a step forward to O'Malley, arms crossed at his chest.

"Me and the broad ditched after the Exodus, the fatherly life she wanted me to live wasn't me, so I got out while I could, there wasn't any bad blood left between us." O'Malley said scooting more toward the back of his chair at Bigby's approach.

"While that's all well and good, what about the kids? You're still listed as the emergency contact for Duchess in case something were to happen. Yet you're out getting wasted every night without a care in the world, and those kids need you!" Victoria said losing her temper by the minute at this drunken fool, hoisting him up from his chair by the collar of his shirt.

"The thing of it is doll face, those kids would be better off if they just forgot about me, I don't even have a place to call home, except whatever new place I crash in for the night." O'Malley said no emotion in his voice whatsoever.

"You're disgusting." Victoria responded, a look revulsion on her face at the very man she had in her grasp.

"That's not all I am baby, looks like you can use some help with relieving some tension, the Big Bad Wolf not doin' it for yeh?" He said with a wink and a toothy grin. 

Before Victoria could even think to do it herself, Bigby's fist came into her line of sight as it directly made contact with O'Malley's face, causing Victoria to lose her grip on him and let him fall to the floor.

Victoria noticed a glamour charm to fall out of his pocket. * **POOF** *

The next thing Victoria knew, she was staring at the cutest orange and white cat she had ever seen. 'I'm supposed to hate this guy right? How can someone so shitty turn into this adorable creature?' Victoria thought to herself.

"Catch ya later baby." the now cat version of Mr. O'Malley said before dashing out the door.

"GET BACK HERE!" Bigby roared after the escaping cat.

Victoria caught Bigby by the arm immediately getting his attention, "Just let him go, I don't think that drunk lecher knows anything. Do you honestly believe he's ever been sober enough in his life to carry out a murder? Plus I don't think he knows anything about surgery."

"Yeah, you're right." Bigby replied with a huff, the warmth from Victoria's touch calming him in seconds.

Victoria, noticing her lingering touch, immediately withdrew her hand. "So, what next?"

"We should really go to where Kate worked, and see if she had any enemies or had a connection to Duchess." Bigby said straightening his tie and lighting up a cigarette. 

"Right, well let's get that information from Snow and head out."

*** * ***

 "Well, that was a bust." Victoria sighed, walking out of the pizza shop Kate had worked, with Bigby sulking behind her. Another dead end lead.

"I don't understand, this can't just be some random killings can it? There has to be a motive." Bigby growled out.

Victoria just nodded to herself, as much as she disliked Bigby she felt like shit for keeping her dreams secret. But what was she supposed to do? Say she was having visions, or dreams, or whatever it was about this killer who apparently knew her? That was just crazy, even to her it would sound fishy. If she was going to get to the bottom of this she would have to keep it to herself, just for a little while at least. 

"What is it?" Bigby's voice startled Victoria out of her thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing, just this whole thing seems very random but the timing seems very abrupt." Victoria responded. 'Not technically a lie..' she thought.

"It seems Fabletown is testing you. " Bigby said, crushing his cigarette with his foot.

"And here I thought I was going to get some relaxing done moving here, it still feels like I'm on the hunt." Victoria said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, well I'm gonna take a walk, clear my head." Bigby casually said.

"Okay, I'm going to go back to the Business Office to catch up with Snow, haven't really had the chance since getting here." Victoria said giving a small wave as they went separate ways.

*** * ***

"Re-um, Victoria, something wrong?" Snow said as Victoria walked over and plopped herself in a chair at Snow's desk.

"Nice save Snow, but don't worry I'm alone, Bigby is having his 'me' time after Kate's work was a bust." Victoria said with a laugh.

"So are you two getting along any better?" Snow inquired lightly knowing how sensitive the topic was.

"I guess you can say him and 'Victoria' are, as for 'Red' the hate is very much still there every night I get home." 

"I can only imagine, I'm sorry to bring it up, but Bigby really is trying to redeem himself. He hasn't killed anyone since coming to Fabletown, it's hard to see that it's the same person." Snow said offering a warm smile to Victoria.

"He told me as much, part of me wants to forget the whole thing and forgive him, but I just can't. He took everything from me Snow! He still hasn't figured out that I'm Red Riding Hood, you think he would remember me after what he did, but it's better this way."  Victoria replied somberly.

"He's asked me about you, and of course I've told him nothing, but he swears there is something familiar about you. I think he is trying to repress a lot of what he has done actually. What will you do if he finds out?" Snow added, still fumbling with paperwork while Victoria and her chatted. 

"I honestly don't want to think about it till it happens, or should I say 'if' it happens." Victoria said with a scoff and stood up.

"If what happens?" Bigby's voice rang through the Business Office with an icy chill whether he knew it or not, it made Victoria freeze on the spot.

"Oh, we were just talking about what would happen if Victoria actually got to relax for once in her life." Snow quickly covered with a laugh.

"Ha Ha Ha Snow, thanks for reminding me that my retirement is going exactly as planned." Victoria chimed in with the lie.

Something in Bigby's eyes told her that he wasn't buying it though. "Well why don't you go get that drink with your new pal Gren?" Bigby said smiling a the red coming across Victoria's cheeks. 

"WHAT?" Snow said in shock.

"Gren asked you to get a drink, and somehow the two of you didn't kill each other in the process?" Snow said barely containing her amusement.

"I-it's j-just a friendly drink! Geez MOM can't I have friends without being judged and assuming it's sexual?!" Victoria said getting more embarrassed by the minute.

"Oh trust me, Gren wasn't just thinking about the drinks when he was asking your chest out." Bigby said furthering Victoria's already growing embarrassment. 

"Alright, that's it I'm going home, you guys can continue swapping your girly fabricated drama when I'm gone." Victoria said speeding out of there as fast as she could.

"Victoria, WAIT!" Bigby said yelling after her, barely reaching Victoria as she was passing the gate of the Woodlands.

"What, wolf?" Victoria said in her most sour voice that she could muster.

"Let me at least walk you home yeah? As long as this killer is on the loose no one should be walking alone at night." Bigby said grabbing her wrist trying to get her to stop.

"I can handle myself thank you very much! I don't need a guard dog who will antagonize me the whole way home. I'm afraid my shower wall can't take another beating." Victoria said trying to worm her way out of Bigby's grip.

"Hey I promise to keep my mouth shut unless you ask me something, hows that?" Bigby said, his grip not giving up.

"Fine, but I don't need you to hold my hand the whole way there." Victoria said and motioned to where Bigby still held her wrist.

"Right." was the last thing Bigby said till they got to Victoria's apartment. He still seemed to follow her past the threshold of the tenement building to her door just as he did before.

All Victoria wanted to do now was get some food, and forget Bigby and Snow's insinuations. After unlocking her door she stepped in and turned to get rid of her chaperone, avoiding his humored gaze and pointedly letting her hair fall in front of her face as she looked at the ground and muttered a "Thanks, Bigby."

The next thing Victoria knew, Bigby's hand came into her line of sight, parting her curtain of hair, then brushing it behind her ear, and slowly trailing down to lift her chin so she would have to meet his eyes; drawing her face only a fraction closer to his. "Anytime, Tori.." Bigby whispered, his warm breath hitting her face. 

And like that, Bigby whipped around stuffing his hands into his pockets and leaving Victoria staring at him from her door. 'What the fuck was that? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?' Victoria kept repeating it in her head through her meal and icy cold shower she made herself suffer through. But, it didn't help in the slightest ' **WHAT. THE. FUCK?** ' Victoria was replaying the scene in her head for the twentieth time when her shower once again was reacquainted with her fist. 

"FUUUUUUUUCK!" Victoria screamed out loud this time seeing that another one of her tiles had its face smashed in thanks to Bigby Wolf.

Needless to say, Victoria was sure she wouldn't have dreams of the Big Bad Wolf tonight, but her mind didn't tell her that Bigby might be there in his place...


	7. Chapter 7

_'Ugh, why is it so bright?' Victoria felt heat beating down on her and heard the rustling of leaves from above._

_"Where am-" as Victoria slowly opened her eyes she found herself laying against a tree in what she only could assume was a park._

_"Did you really fall asleep out here reading Tori? You know how reckless that is considering there's a murderer on the loose?" came the all too annoyed growling voice of Bigby._

_Victoria felt something clutched in her hands, 'My old hunting journal?' , she looked down at the page 'June 18th, 1818: **V.F.** '_

_"Are you even listening?" groaned Bigby._

_"Wha-oh yeah, I'm sorry, I'm just distracted." Victoria said, closing her journal._

_"Right, well, come on let's get you home." Bigby held out his hand toward Victoria._

_Without even thinking she placed her hand in his allowing him to lift her up, only to have her stumble on her still tired legs, clutching to whatever was close to keep from falling._

_"Woah, you okay there, ya need a minute?" Victoria felt Bigby's arms circle around her waist to keep her steady._

_"Y-Yeah, I'm uh, I'm fine. Really.." Victoria replied shakily, not making any indication of moving._

_'What's wrong with me? Why am I letting him touch me like this?' Victoria turned her head up slightly to look at Bigby, he was already staring at her, his brown eyes melting into her own whiskey ones._

_"Uh, th-thanks Bigby." Victoria said slowly backing away from him._

_It was as if no time passed at all and they were already at the door of Victoria's apartment, Bigby following her to the door as always._

_"You know, I don't even remember how I got there in the first place.." Victoria idly mentioned fishing out her keys from her pocket and then opening the door._

_"Hey, are you sure you're okay? Don't have a fever do ya?" Bigby said, voice concerned, following Victoria into her apartment._

_"What are you-" before Victoria could respond Bigby grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, their body's a mere few inches apart. He brushed her hair out of her face and put a hand to her forehead._

_"You feel a little warm.." He murmured, Victoria could practically feel the words rumble in his chest._

_"Well that happens when a man invites himself into your home and grabs you unexpectedly!" Victoria had meant that to sound more demanding but it came out in shaky breaths._

_At that Bigby gave a huge wolfish smile, his laugh reverberating against Victoria making her shiver. "What Tori, you afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"_

_"No, I-"_

_"You're kinda cute when you're nervous you know that?" Bigby interrupted, moving his hand down to cup her jaw, drawing Victoria closer._

_'What is he doing?! What am I doing?! **MAKE HIM STOP TORI**!' Victoria was screaming in her mind so loud she was sure to get a headache, and yet she paid it no mind._

_Bigby closed the distance between them, kissing Victoria with a hunger she had never experienced before. He all but slammed Victoria into the nearest wall, pinning her arms above her head. Victoria let out a shocked gasp, Bigby took the advantage and slid his tongue into her mouth, groaning into her. She didn't stop him, in fact she couldn't help but kiss back with just as much fervor. Bigby broke the kiss, moving down to trail kisses along her jawline and down her neck, nipping and sucking along the way, the noises that escaped her mouth were downright sinful to Bigby._

_"Look at you, not even stopping me. Letting the monster that took everything away from you take more of what he wants. I bet you're already dripping for me." Bigby growled, hand traveling down to the waistband of her pants, dipping lower._

_'Wait what? How did he know that..'_

_"You're practically begging for him to fuck you, **IT SHOULD BE ME, NOT HIM**!" a voice roared but it wasn't Bigby, it was someone else's voice. A voice that had recently started haunting her nightmares._

_'This isn't real, wake up Tori, **WAKE UP**!' Victoria struggled against his grasp trying desperately to escape, screaming her lungs out and thrashing, anything to get him to let her go and then-_

Victoria woke screaming, shoving what was on top of her away swinging her arms wildly.

"Woah, WOAH, **WOAH**! Dollface calm down!"

Victoria looked at the end of her bed to the orange and white cat that was perched there.

"O'Malley?" Victoria said breathlessly, her voice shaking, "What the Hell are you doing here?!" she grabbed for the nearest weapon she could find, pointing it at the cat.

"Hey now, no need for that." O'Malley said, voice trying to calm Victoria.

Just then, the door to her room crashed open, "Victoria!" Bigby came barging in diving straight for O'Malley picking him up by the scruff of his neck.

"What the fuck are you doing here O'Malley?" Bigby yelled shaking the cat violently.

"Bigby?!" Victoria at this point was too dazed and confused to even realize what was going on. 'Please tell me this is a dream too..'

"HEY! Sheriff, honestly I wasn't doing nothin', I was just walking by minding my own business looking for a place to stay when I saw this open window; I honestly didn't know it was Victoria's place! But when I jumped into the living room I smelt her immediately, I was going to leave but I smelt something else too, so I came in to check on the gal." O'Malley said, his voice begging Bigby to believe him.

At that Bigby instantly dropped O'Malley, he smelt it too, that foul scent of formaldehyde, Bigby then started going through rooms, pulling back curtains, looking like a mad dog trying to find something.

"Bigby, what are you-" Victoria started to say.

"Hey, wolf, he's gone alright." O'Malley said, gaining Bigby's attention.

"He?" Bigby replied, voice still full of anger.

"Yeah, when I started sniffing around I saw her door open so I went in, I didn't see the guy but the minute I pushed the door open he ran past me. I was gonna chase him but the lady here was having a fit, I thought it best to wake her and make sure she was okay." O'Malley said looking up to Victoria standing next to him.

"Shit." Bigby let out the breath he was holding, wiping a hand down his face.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on? Someone was in my apartment?" said Victoria, her voice full of confusion and annoyance.

"Yeah, it seems that way, it's the same smell, I smelt the last time I was here. Remember? I guess It wasn't nothing.." Bigby said reaching to light a cigarette.

Victoria smacked it out of his hands, walking past Bigby to the window in her living room. It was indeed open.

"This was locked when I went to sleep last night, how they hell did this person get it open?" Victoria said slamming the window shut and locking the clasp once more.

Bigby went over to examine the window beside Victoria, "These old lock clasps are fairly easy to get open if you have the right tools." Bigby stated calmly.

"Well that's a comfort.." Victoria mumbled, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Wait, how did you get in Bigby? What are you even doing here?" Victoria questioned, voice growing annoyed.

"I, um.." Bigby's voice grew nervous, he ran a hand down his neck awkwardly. "Well, Snow sent me to come get you, we had another victim but this one is alive. And when I went to knock on your door I heard you scream and I smelt the fucking cat and..well.."

Victoria glanced behind Bigby to her front door which was splintered open.

"What. The. Fuck." Victoria said slowly, her arms dropping back to her sides, her hands clenching into fists. "Well he won't need to use the fucking window now!" Victoria shouted, she was dangerously close to gracing Bigby's face with a shiner.

"Look, I'll have Flycatcher come down and fix the door and set you up with another set of new locks for the door and your window alright? And besides what would you have me do? Just walk away not knowing if you were possibly getting hacked to bits in there?" Bigby said, his own temper returning.

"On that note I should probably.." O'Malley said, trying to stealthily make his way toward the door.

"Oh no you don't." Bigby said, scooping up the cat yet again. "You get to stay here and keep an eye on the place and make sure Flycatcher comes and get's everything fixed."

"What-" Victoria tried to object but Bigby continued.

"And on top of that you should stay out of sight since you don't have your glamour, or would you rather me tell Snow White we have an unglamoured Fable running around? No? Then consider yourself on house arrest." Bigby let O'Malley drop to the floor with a thud.

"Why does it have to be my place?!" Victoria said, hating the idea more and more.

"Look, I don't like it either but someone needs to keep an eye on this place and on you when you get home. I doubt you would like it if I stayed here to watch you at night." Bibgy said putting a hand on Victoria's shoulder trying to calm her down and make her see reason.

Victoria felt herself slowing turning crimson, "I uh, you're right.." Victoria sighed slumping her shoulders in defeat.

"You don't have to ask me twice. A roof over my head, food, and the company of a beautiful woman? You got yourself a deal." O'Malley winked up at Victoria, rubbing himself in between her legs, his tail curling around her leg.

Bigby kciked him away, "Alright well let's get to the Business Office then, I need to go find Flycatcher and you should really go see Snow and the victim." Bigby said stepping away from Victoria, he needed to breathe and her scent was driving him up the walls in more ways than one.

"Right, well, let me shower and change, then we can head out." Victoria said walking back towards her room.

"Ya need me to make sure she doesn't get attacked in the shower too?" O'Malley said to Bigby looking over his shoulder and giving him a smirk.

"Don't even think about it." Bibgy replied, stomping on O'Malley's tail stopping him from following Victoria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the new chapter! I should have chapter 8 posted on Saturday, but until then enjoy! (:


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Fan-fiction Writer Appreciation Day! (:

Victoria let the cool water run down her body as she stood there, too lost in her thoughts to care about how cold it was.

'So that's why I've been having these dreams, this man, whoever he is, has been showing them to me?' the thought made her stomach sink.

'He's been watching me, looking through my thoughts and feelings..' she started replaying the dream in her mind. '..for Bigby? No, I can't, can I?' She touched the broken tiles on her shower wall remembering the way his lips felt against hers.

'NO! That was a dream, it wasn't real. And that was not Bigby.' she quickly turned the shower off and toweled herself dry, deciding to wear her hair up in a braided rose and throwing on a green v-neck, some jeans, and her brown buckled ankle boots.

"Let's go." was all she said to Bigby when she entered the living room, striding past him towards her broken door.

 *** * ***  

Victoria knocked before entering the Business Office, Bigby had made good on his promise and went off to find Flycatcher. 

"Come in." came Snows voice.

"Hey, you would not believe the morning I had.." Victoria started to say but then noticed the other person in the room, who was getting their head wrapped by Dr. Swineheart. Snow motioned her over the the other side of the room to her desk.

"Hey Red." Snow whispered.

"Snow, what happened?" Victoria asked motioning to the person hidden from her view by Dr. Swineheart.

"Well, it was late last night but when I went to lock up for the night here at the Business Office this woman came barging in. She doesn't really know what happened but remembers she was walking home from her shift at the Pudding & Pie and someone knocked her out, the next thing she knew, she woke up in a strange place and ran for it. It seems he scalped her for her hair, Red.." Snow whispered to Victoria in hushed tones.

"What? Why the fuck would he do that? Why didn't he kill her?" Victoria whispered back, confused.

"I don't know, but this case is becoming stranger by the minute." Snow sighed. "So what happened this morning?"

Victoria then proceeded to give Snow a quick run down of the morning, leaving out the important detail of her dreams naturally.

"Oh my, are you alright?" Snow said looking Victoria over.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine but, this is all so strange to be happening now. It's like the shit hit the fan as soon as I stepped foot in this town." Victoria sighed heavily.

"Hey, on a side note, you don't happen to know if my old journal is laying around here do you? I know King Cole wanted it kept here in the archives as a sort of documented history." Victoria said trying to keep her voice sounding as normal as possible.

"I think so, Ill have Bufkin get it for you. Do you think it can help?" Snow questioned.

"I don't know yet, I just have one of those feelings ya know? Maybe I hunted this guy at one point or something.." Victoria replied casually.

"Hmm, good idea."

*** * ***

As soon as Bufkin had given Victoria the book she made her way out of the woodlands, wanting to read her journal in peace without any interruption from Bigby or Snow.

"Ey! Vic!" came the rough grouchy voice of Gren.

"Oh, hey Gren what's up?" Victoria said, trying to hide her annoyance at his timing.

"Ya want to go get that drink? It's been a pretty shit day and I could use one.." Gren replied scratching the back of his head looking anywhere but at Victoria.

"Um, well I really need to read this for a case me and Bigby are on.." Victoria started.

"Hey, don't worry, it'll be like I'm not even there. I'm not much of a talker anyhow." Gren said, looking up to met Victoria's eyes for a few seconds to give her a small smile that, if she wasn't looking, she could easily have missed.

"Oh alright, in all honest I really could use a drink." Victoria said.

True to his word Gren didn't say much of anything, except to Holly when they needed their glasses refilled. Victoria was thankful for that, and the fact that most people don't go to the Trip Trap so it's relatively silent.

Even though she went through everything she had wrote down for the year 1818, she found nothing of importance really. Just that she was in Europe at the time, she couldn't remember for the life of her what 'V.F.' stood for, was it a name, place?

"Why can't I remember?" Victoria whispered under her breath.

"I guarantee you if ya stop thinkin' about it it'll come to ya." Gren said downing another one of his drinks and giving her a smile.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Victoria said with a huff, closing her journal.

"Thanks for comin' by the way, I don't know what it is but I'm a lot calmer when you're around." Gren said simply.

"It's no problem, to be honest the silence is what I needed, to clear my head." Victoria said downing her own drink.

"Hmpf, Bigby's a lucky guy.." Gren muttered under his breath.

"What?" Victoria said, not quite hearing Gren.

Before Gren could even respond the door to the Trip Trap flew open.

"Speak of the fuckin' Devil." Gren said clenching his jaw.

"Hey, Victoria, I was looking all over for you. You know how late it is?" Bigby said walking over to Victoria showing her that it was indeed late, ignoring Gren who was sitting right next to her.

"Ah, shit. The time got away from me I guess." Victoria said, standing up and stretching.

"Snow mentioned you asked for your old journal from your earlier hunting days, find anything interesting?"

"No, I thought it might offer insight to who this person is, I feel like I know the guy but I'm at a loss." Victoria then picked up her book.

"Thanks for the drink Gren, really I needed it and the peace and quite for awhile. I'll buy next time, promise." Victoria said putting her arm around Gren's shoulders in a quick side hug, making Gren jump at the contact.

"Yeah, that'd be great, Vic.." Gren said his face growing warm.

*** * ***

"So, you and Gren.." Bigby started.

"Don't you even start that, Wolf!" Victoria said giving him a flick on the back of the head.

"Hey! Ouch! I was kidding, shit Tori.." Bigby replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"When did you start calling me Tori huh? And why is it only when no one's around?" Victoria said nudging Bigby with her elbow,  trying to change the subject off of Gren.

"What? Everyone else can give you a nickname and I can't?" 

"No, it's fine I just didn't expect it from you." Victoria said with a laugh at Bigby's annoyance.

"So, is this gonna be a regular thing too? Walking me home every night to make sure I don't get jumped by some creep?" Victoria added.

"Well, with all the attention you seem to be attracting," Bigby said, pausing to light a cigarette, "that and I want to make sure Flycatcher fixed everything."

"Uh huh, you're very convincing." Victoria teased. 'Snow was right, Bigby and the Wolf are like two different people.' Victoria thought to herself.

As usual Bigby followed Victoria to her door, which to Victoria's surprise, was now red. Upon opening the new door she was also greeted by her new roommate. "What's shakin' baby?" O'Malley called out from what Victoria assumed was the kitchen.

"Just admiring Flycatcher's handy work. Bigby's here too checking to make sure everything's fixed." Victoria shouted back.

"Riiiight, and yeah, Fly said you'd like the color. " O'Malley said coming to greet the two in the living room, giving Victoria a look that said he wanted to talk to her.

"Well, it looks like Flycatcher did a good job." Bigby said shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot after his inspection.

"So..did you want to stay for dinner or..?" Victoria said just as awkward as Bigby probably felt.

"Ah, no I'll pass, I promised Snow I'd come back as soon as I walked you home to finish up some more paperwork." Bigby said already walking to the front door, Victoria following after him.

"Oh, yeah, sure.. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow," Bigby paused to turn around and look at Victoria,"Tori." and left with a smile on his face.

Just as Victoria closed the door, "He doesn't know you're Red Riding Hood does he?" Victoria's hand froze on the door.

"How do you-?"

"Fly told me as much without really saying it." O'Malley replied simply.

Victoria flew over to O'Malley in an instant picking him up underneath his arms and bringing him close to her face, "You have to swear to me you wont tell him."

"Okay, okay! But, why keep it from him?" O'Malley questioned.

"It would just make things more difficult, for the both of us." Victoria said shifting O'Malley into her arms and walking them to the kitchen for something to eat.

"I think you'd spare a lot more heartache if you came out with it already." O'Malley said once Victoria had placed him back on the ground.

"I know O'Malley, but I can't right now, alright?" Victoria said with a sigh that told O'Malley she was done talking about this.

"Hey, dollface?"

"Yeah?"

"Just call me Tom."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted anything in a couple of days, I haven't been very motivated as of late so it's taken a toll on my writing but I crunched out a new chapter and I promise not to let it get this bad again. I mostly blame anime, I plowed thru 5 new shows trying to get myself inspired. So if anything you guys can thank My Hero Academia oddly enough for inspiring me to write some more, I highly recommend the anime and if you want to know more about it check out the article on otakugamerzone.com tell them Nyvera sent you!
> 
> Anyways you guys are here for The Wolf Among Us, so enjoy the new chapter and let me know your thoughts! (:

_"My dear.."_

_Hot sickly breath ghosted by Victoria's ear._

_'Hmm?' Victoria instinctively tried to move away from the voice._

_'Why can't I move?' Victoria groggily opened her eyes, she was strapped down to a chair, the only source of light was the moon shining down through the grand Victorian windows you'd only find in castles._

_"It's a shame you don't seem to remember me," the voice sounded again, this time from behind Victoria, "and to think that you left such an impression on me that night."_

_"What are you talking about?" Victoria tried her voice, it was shaky._

_"That night,"_ _the voice gave a bone chilling giggle,"_ _shall I spin the tale of the fair maiden who came to my rescue when I thought all hope was lost?" the man's hands came to rest upon Victoria's shoulders._

_"It was so long ago, when at the time the world saw science as devilry. They weren't ready for what I had to offer, but there was one who understood my genius. A count from the Homelands who so generously funded my work, only later to betray me." His hands gripped Victoria's shoulders tightly at the thought._

_"When the towns people had gotten wind of what I had done, they came for me, as did my benefactor. I thought all hope was lost as I lay on this very ground, upon which we now stand, succumbing to the wound at my side given to me by the monster whom I thought saw my very same vision." His grip became unbearably tight._

_"But then, out of nowhere, came my salvation. You were like a wildfire, f_ _lickering, weaving under the spell it was sparked into. A shrieking ray of melting gas purging out the darkness. Only the purest could make your identity out as the living personification of courage. You held the power to give to anyone a hope of a new beginning." The man's gripped loosened, sliding slowly down Victoria's arms his last words causing his breath to tickle in her ear._

_"You didn't care about what I had done, you offered me a new beginning, my angel of renewing flame. Again, you didn't know at the time, but that night you had burned yourself into my soul." Victoria tried pulling against her restraints desperate to move away, to see the face of her sinful admirer._

_"But it seems you have forgotten; that I had not made the same impression upon you. But, it matters not, soon those eyes will no longer look at me with disgust. Those molten eyes will hold the same fiery passion that I hold for you!"  the man's hand shot out to grab Victoria's face, whipping her head around only to see-_

"Victoria! Hey, wake up!"

Victoria woke with a start, Tom was standing on her chest looking down at her, his whiskers tickling her cheek.

"You okay?" Tom questioned, getting off of Victoria and moving to the edge of the bed.

"Yeah, I'm-uh-I'm fine Tom, thanks for coming to check on me." Victoria said, trying to put on a convincing voice.

"Do you usually have this many nightmares?" Tom asked tilting his head to the side, tail lazily swishing back and forth.

"Usually, but before they were of the Big Bad Wolf, but now.." Victoria tailed off, her hand combing through her hair to try and tame her messy locks.

"They're of that guy aren't they? The one that was here?" 

"How did you-"

"I'm a cat remember? I can pick up on these things." Tom replied, walking forward to put a paw on Victoria's knee.

"Look Tom.." Victoria started.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You don't have to tell me anything. I know it's official Fabletown business, but I get the feeling you haven't told anyone about this, not even Bigby. So if you ever need an ear.."

"Thanks, Tom." Victoria said reaching her hand out to scratch behind his ears.

"You should get back to sleep, you have a few more hours till you should head out. I'll be right here if you need me." Tom said. Victoria sleepily nodded her head in response, falling into a dreamless sleep for the first time in years, but she still didn't find the rest she needed.

*** * ***

"Good morning Red." Snow greeted with a smile as Victoria walked in to the Business Office.

"I take it Bigby's not here then?" Victoria said trudging over to Snow's desk an falling into the closest seat.

"No, he went to go pick up some breakfast for us, we were practically here all night with all the paperwork we had. You look about just as bad as we do, rough night?" Snow replied moving to take her own seat.

"Yeah, you can say that, I didn't sleep very well." Victoria groaned. 'So they were here together all night huh?' Victoria felt annoyed at the very thought. 'Why do I care?' At that the door kicked open.

"Hey Snow they didn't have the tea you wanted so I got you coffee just how you like it, two pumps white mocha, one pump strawberry and two sugars right?" Bigby looked up to see Snow and Victoria sitting at Snow's desk. 

"Oh, hey Victoria, you're here early. I'm surprised you didn't take an advantage to sleep in." Bigby said casually strolling up to Snow's desk to set down their food. Totally oblivious to the daggers Victoria was shooting him.

Victoria ignored Bigby's comment, "Can that even be classified as coffee anymore Snow?" Victoria said, nose cringing in disgust when Snow took a sip.

"What? How do you take your coffee?" Bigby asked, finally noticing Victoria's sour mood, raising an eyebrow to her questioningly.

Victoria got up from her chair, her tired body protesting the whole way up. "I'll make it easy for you, black, as it was intended to be." With that Victoria was making her way towards the door, she needed some air.

"Where you goin'?" Bigby called after her.

"Just getting some air." Victoria called back, closing the door behind her rather roughly. 'Why am I acting like this? Who gives a shit if he knows how she likes her coffee? They've been working together for years right?' Victoria was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't notice Flycatcher watching her battle with her inner-monologue.

"Hey Ms. Red! Are you okay?" Flycatcher said reaching out to grab Victoria's shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, Flycatcher! I'm sorry, today has just been rough." Victoria sighed, shoulders slumping.

"Wow, and it's not even 8 o'clock. That must be a record or something right?" Flycatcher offered with a smile.

"Hah, yeah, I guess so." Victoria replied, smiling back. 

"Maybe you just need a little pick me up!" Flycatcher said grabbing two bottles of water from his cargo pockets on his orange jumpsuit, offering one to Victoria.

"Not a coffee guy?" Victoria said accepting the bottle of water.

"What? No, that stuffs no good for you, you should always hydrate first thing in the morning! Plus its great for your skin!" Flycatcher responded, taking a large gulp of his own water.

"Thanks Fly," Victoria started, taking a large drink of hers as well. "and thanks for coming to my place to fix everything by the way. I really like the door." 

"I thought you would!" Flycatcher said with a goofy grin, obviously proud of his work.

"Hey Victoria, we got a call about- oh hey Flycatcher." came Bigby's voice from behind Victoria.

"Hey Sheriff, wait why does he call you Vic-" before Flycatcher could finish his sentence Victoria butted in, spinning around to look at Bigby.

"Oh, another call? We have no time to lose, we should get there right away! Thanks for the water Flycatcher." Victoria was talking a mile a minute, grabbing Bigby by the arm and out the door of the Woodlands, both men looking equally as confused.

"Hey, slow down! What's up with you today? You've been acting kind of strange." Bigby said yanking his arm back to make Victoria stop.

"What? Me? I'm fine! Really!" Victoria said, putting on a fake smile in hopes to sway Bigby.

"Right, I don't believe you." Bigby said crossing his arms in front of his chest and giving Victoria a skeptical look.

"Look, I didn't sleep well last night. So can we please get to work so I can take my mind off of the exhaustion?" Victoria groaned.

"You having nightmares or somethin'?" Bigby asked still not moving an inch.

"Of sorts, but frankly that's none of your business so can we please drop it and move on already?" Victoria said her voice dripping with aggravation.

"It is my business if it's gonna effect you out in the field! That, and believe it or not I care about your well being!" Bigby shouted taking a few steps forward coming nose to nose with Victoria, his own temper rising.

Victoria's anger dropped, like cold water being dumped on a fire. 'He's right..'

"I-I'm sorry." Victoria replied dropping her head down in shame. 'He cares about me?'

"Wha-? Hey, it's not your fault, just don't over do it okay?" Bigby said tilting Victoria's head back up by the chin and setting his hand on her shoulder.

"Okay," Victoria took a deep breath, "so, where are we going?"

"The store Sheep's Clothing called, apparently one the mannequin's arms, legs, and head was replaced with real body parts." BIgby said, walking forward and lighting a cigarette.

"Never a dull moment around here is there?" Victoria said letting Bigby lead the way to The Sheep's Clothing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for you guys, enjoy! Don't forget to comment and leave a kudos! (:

"This is the Sheep's Clothing?" Victoria said as she and Bigby walked into the store. She tried desperately to keep herself calm, clenching her fists at her sides.

The very mannequin which they had come to investigate was eerily staring Victoria in the face, dressed in a red cloak. It's arms and legs had indeed been replaced with real body parts, as well as the lifeless face of an unknown woman. 

"Yeah, apparently they found it amusing to go with a Red Riding Hood sort of theme, matches the name I guess." Bigby noted idly, as if it wasn't bothering him just as much as it was Victoria.

"So, um, do we know anything about the victim?" Victoria said turning away from the woman to look at Bigby.

"Shes been identified by family and the shop, apparently she worked here. Other than that nothing of significance to report, except that the killer left another note on the wall that we need to check out." Bigby replied.

As they approached the back wall it took everything Victoria had not to cry, written in the all too familiar scarlet was 'She's mine, Wolf'.

"Dammit!  This bastard is trying to get to me." Bigby growled out, not noticing Victoria slowly back away, her resolve slowly slipping.

'It can't be. This man, this THING'. Victoria's mind was slowly piecing things together, as if it was all slowly starting to make sense. Tears started rolling down her face, she ran, she had to get to the Business Office.

"Hey Tori," Bigby turned around wanting to get some input from his new set of eyes, but Victoria was already long gone. "Victoria?"

*** * ***

"Snow! I need to see all the murdered girls files along with the most recent victim and copies of their pictures." Victoria shouted, running into the office, not slowing down for a second.

"Wha- um sure what for?" Snow said sending Bufkin immediately to gather what Victoria needed.

"No time to explain, I think I'm on to something, I need to be left alone to work for awhile. I kinda left Bigby without so much as a word, so when he comes by tell him not to disturb me." Victoria said eyes pleading with Snow to understand.

"Alright, but on one condition," Snow started crossing her arms and giving Victoria a stern look, "no more hiding these secrets you seem to be keeping from me. If you think I haven't noticed, you're wrong. You're one of my best friends and I can tell when you're lying to me."

Victoria paused after Bufkin had given her all that she asked for, "Alright Snow, I promise, it's just-"

"Explain it to me after you've made some progress, I'm counting on you." Snow said letting her arms drop back to her sides, giving Victoria a small smile.

"You got it"

*** * ***

Victoria made her way straight home, knowing that that would be the only place she could keep this information secret.

"What's a'matter baby? You're back early, no Bigby?" Tom questioned as Victoria made her way in.

"I think I'm on to something with this case, but I need to do this on my own, I might be wrong but.." Victoria went to the kitchen table laying out the files on each woman and their full-length pictures, grabbing a pair of scissors and tape from one of the drawers. 

"Say no more, I'll leave you to it, if you need anything holler." Tom said marching his way toward the living room.

Victoria wasted no time getting to work. She cut into the photos, removing each body part that was taken from the women and laying them down on a white sheet of paper, checking periodically the measurements of those body parts that Dr. Swineheart had noted in the medical files and comparing them to her own.

"Shit.." Victoria said out loud. 'All their measurements are a perfect match for my own.'

"Looks like you, but ya'know, without a head and the hair ain't quite right." Tom suddenly interjected Victoria's thoughts, causing her to jump.

"My thoughts exactly.." Victoria sighed, rubbing her temples.

"So this sick bastard is what, making you? Why?" Tom asked looking over Victoria's shoulder at all of her work.

"I don't quite remember, but I think I saved him when I was still hunting rogue Fables. It's only started coming back to me through these dreams." Victoria replied.

"What happened in these dreams?" Tom said feeling nervous.

"He's been showing me the murders, I thought he was just trying to get my attention but in a dream he came to me disguised as," Victoria paused, looking up to see Tom patiently waiting for her to continue, she took a deep breath "um Bigby and-"

"Woah, woah wait a minute. You had a dream about Bigby? Ah baby give me the details on that." Tom interrupted face full of mischief.

"I-it wasn't- I would never-!" Victoria stammered, face glowing bright red.

"You had a smutty dream about Bigs, didn't ya? You can't fool me when your face is that red." Tom said, chuckling a little.

"Tom it- it wasn't him.. but after that was when I suspected it was more than just getting my attention; and with the dream last night he totally confessed his crazed obsession." Victoria huffed covering her embarrassed face.

"Why haven't you told Bigby about this?" Tom said, voice growing serious.

"I couldn't, he would think I was crazy, but after last night.." Victoria sighed.

"He deserves to know, princess, he can help you; and in more ways than one I think?" Tom said with a laugh.

"You're right, I promised I would tell Snow anyways, better to kill two birds with one stone right?" Victoria said letting out a nervous laugh.

*** * ***

"Hey Snow, I'm sorry it took so long but I'm back-"Victoria started when she attempted to walk through the Business Office only to be grabbed and pinned to the wall.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? WHY DID YOU JUST RUN OFF ON ME?" boomed Bigby's voice, his hands gripping her arms and pinning her to the wall with force.

"I'm sorry, I just-" Victoria tried to start, but Bigby would have none of it. He was fuming with anger.

"NO, I don't want to hear any excuses! I was worried sick about you Tori," the sound of her nickname and the close proximity of Bigby made Victoria's heart beat so loud that she swore Bigby would hear it, "and when I got here Snow wouldn't tell me what it was all about, besides that I should leave you alone!"

"I-"

"Do you know how difficult it is not to be around you?! It kills me to leave you at your door each night!" Bigby's grip began to soften, his eyes melting from fury to that same lust Victoria had seen when he walked her home from the Trip Trap. 

"Bigby.." Victoria was at a loss for words. 'Did he just say what I think he did?'

Bigby leaned in, nuzzling his face into Victoria's neck, he couldn't take it anymore. Resisting it had only become harder each day that passed, her scent was overpowering him, driving him to be far more protective than he had the right to be. 

'What is he doing? This was just like my dream, he needs to stop..' Victoria's mind was begging her to move away, to get him off, anything but be in the wolf's clutches. But she didn't move a muscle.

"What's going on here?!" came Snows voice.

Bigby and Victoria both jumped away from each other like horny high school kids that had been caught kissing in the halls.

"Nothing, Snow. I was just confronting Victoria about where the hell she's been." Bigby replied, lighting a cigarette in the process, the anger in his voice returning. 

'That was nothing?!' Victoria was staring at the back of Bigby's head, eyes wide.

"Right, so what did you find Victoria?" Snow said dropping the subject and gaining Victoria's attention.

"Uh, yeah, that..well. I think he's making a woman for himself." Victoria started, pulling out the paper she glued all the pieces to and their measurements she had scribbled down, handing it to Snow.

Snow looked at the paper her eyes visibly widening. She looked up to Victoria and back to the paper a couple of times before saying, "Explain this."

Bigby went over and snatched the paper from Snows hand.

"I-I didn't know how to tell you guys." Victoria started, putting her shaking hands behind her back to give her courage. "When I first got here I started having these dreams, of the girls being murdered by this monster. I had no idea why I was the one seeing this or what it meant till he came to me in a dream, uh, disguised."

"Disguised as who?" Snow said.

Victoria's eyes glanced at Bigby then back to Snow, "Someone he knew he could, um, _advance_ on me with." Snow seemed to understand immediately nodding for Victoria to go on, Bigby was barely listening still looking at the image of the girl. A small relief for Victoria.

"But that's when I knew he wasn't just trying to get my attention, but that it was me he was interested in. In the nightmare I had last night he confirmed my suspicion that I had met him while I was hunting. He told me that he had become obsessed with me and that he would make it to where I would love him in return." as Victoria finished, the only noise in the room was the sound of Bigby crumbling the paper and destroying a nearby table, his screams echoing in the room.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I thought you guys would think I was crazy, or working with this guy.." Victoria said as gently as possible. Bigby whipped his head around to look at her with golden eyes causing Victoria to stumble backwards.

"A creep is stalking you and you didn't think to tell us WHY? ARE YOU STUPID?! He was in your room not just the once I caught him but multiple times before that!" Bigby yelled, causing Victoria's own anger to spike.

"I have very good reasons not to trust you, Wolf! I've been on my own for a long time, so I'm not used to relying on other people." Victoria spat back.

Bigby looked taken aback, his eyes slowly turning back to his usual brown, he didn't mean to lose his temper especially not towards Victoria. He could smell fear on her.

Bigby reached his hand outward towards her, "Victoria, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.." 

"Why don't we all just focus on getting this guy? Yes, Victoria kept things from us, but I don't blame her; with the life she's lived, I don't think we are in any place to judge her." Snow offered, sensing the tension.

Both Bigby and Victoria stared at the ground, trying to look anywhere but each other.

"So, I propose this," Snow started, gaining Bibgy's and Victoria's attention back "Bigby, until this case is done you are to watch over Victoria day and night."

Silence.

"WHAT?!" Victoria finally said, there was no way he was staying with her, not with everything that just happened in the last twenty-four hours.

"Snow I.." Bigby began, awkwardly rubbing his neck.

"No buts, I am an employer and friend to the both of you and your safety is my prime directive at this point, so I am both ordering you and begging you both to deal with this till this creep is caught." Snow said, crossing her arms, saying that the discussion was final.

'Snow probably doesn't know about Tom then, Bigby must have kept his promise and not told her, or else Tom would be headed to the farm.' Victoria thought, glancing over to Bigby, who was obviously struggling with his own thoughts.

Bigby was the first to respond, "Fine, let me grab some stuff."

Before Victoria could even respond or protest, Bigby had already left the Business Office to pick up some things from his apartment.

"This is the best decision for now, in more ways than one." Snow said with a sad smile.


	11. Chapter 11

Needless to say the walk back to Victoria's apartment later that night was the most awkward one yet, without a word exchanged between the two.

"So, the guest room is rather plain. I haven't been here long enough to get the rest of the place how I like it, but.." Victoria said awkwardly as she led Bigby through her home.

"It's fine Tori, just having a bed is a luxury." Bigby replied awkwardly, reaching to grab a cigarette.

"No smoking!" Victoria all but shrieked as she smacked the cigarette out of his hand, "Uh-please.."

Bigby let out an annoyed groan in response, setting down his small bag of things at the end of what was now his bed.

"Hey, what's this schmuck doing in my room?" Tom announced, his claws pulling on Victoria's jeans trying to get her attention.  

Victoria knelt down to pick up Tom in her arms, "Don't blame me, this was all Snow's idea. You can sleep in my room in the meantime."

"Wait-you're gonna let him sleep with you?!" Bigby said following after Victoria toward's the kitchen.

"Is this because that goon snuck into your dreams again?" Tom questioned Victoria, neither of them paying Bigby any mind.

"Yeah, he must have gotten in again somehow, or maybe it's a type of hallucinogenic gas or something.. though he never showed up again after you stayed with me." Victoria said, putting Tom down and getting him a can of food.

"He's slept with you BEFORE?" Bigby said, still not processing Victoria and Tom's closeness. 

"For shits sake Bigby, hes a cat! what do you think he's gonna do?! All he does is sleep, play with string, and eat! The only differences is that Tom can talk and knows how a toilet functions." Victoria snapped back, casting a glare in Bigby's direction. 

"Don' worry Bigs, if anything I'm the gay best friend to Vic here. And as a cat, human women aren't as appealing as they used to be. But if it bothers you so much.." Tom replied, rubbing between Victoria's legs affectionately.

"You little-!" 

"OKAY! That's enough you two! I swear this is going to be the death of me." Victoria said getting the two to calm down somewhat.

"Sorry doll face, I'll try to be good." Tom said crossing his paw over his chest in an 'X' as a promise.

"Right," Victoria said, hating all the male testosterone in the air, "I'm just gonna shower and call it a night, help yourself to anything I have Bigby." 

"Night." Bigby and Tom said in unison, making Victoria cringe.

After Victoria was out of sight and the water was running, Bigby swooped down and grabbed Tom by the scruff of his neck.

"If you do anything, I swear I'm taking you to Swineheart to get neutered." Bigby said, growling at Tom.

"Aye, calm down Bigs," Tom started with a smile, "all I'm gonna do is keep an eye on her, snuggled in between those nice, big, beautiful breas-" before Tom could even finish Bigby was shaking him violently.

"Say it cat! I dare you." Bigby replied before his final shake, throwing Tom to the floor and watching him laugh and walk off woozily to Victoria's room. Victoria's smell wafted in as soon as Tom nudged the door open, causing Bigby to snarl and make his way quickly to the farthest side of the apartment. Bigby flopped down into the nearest chair and turned on the T.V. in the living room, trying to distract himself. It must have worked because he didn't remember getting up to go sleep in his new bed he was looking forward to.

*** * ***

Victoria woke to the soft snores of Tom curled up on her chest, it was the first time she could remember getting a good nights rest, or so she thought. She glanced over to the clock on her side table, 'It's only three-am?!' Victoria let out a groan. 

VIctoria was careful shifting Tom to the side as she sat up, the T.V. was still playing in the living room. Either Bigby was still awake or he fell asleep watching the T.V. Her second guess was correct. She walked out with her blanket around her shoulders to see a lightly snoring Bigby asleep on her sofa. 

"Well, might as well see whats on at 3am." Victoria muttered under her breath making her way to sit on the opposite end of the couch, throwing the blanket over both her and Bigby. It only took one really bad infomercial to knock Victoria out into another dreamless sleep.

*** * ***  

_'Why is it so bright? So warm..' Bigby squinted his eyes against the light coming in through Victoria's bedroom window._

_"What the-?" As Bigby shifted he felt weight against his chest._

_"Mmmornin'.." He heard Victoria's voice murmer, a body stretched it's tired muscles against him._

_Bigby's eyes shot open, "T-tori, ugh what the hell is-"_

_"Shhh, Bigby not so loud, what's the problem. Don't tell me you forgot about last night." Victoria mumbled, still sleepy.  She wrapped herself tighter around Bigby, pushing her naked breasts against his side._

_'There is no way in Hell this is real.' Bigby thought, looking down at Victoria's naked silhouette, barely covered by the thin layer of sheets._

_Bigby ran a hand across Victoria's cheek, weaving his fingers into her hair and bringing her not yet woken face up to look into his._

_"I wish this was real.." Bigby murmured._

_"But it is, if you want it to be." Victoria replied back softly her breath ghosting across Bigby's lips, it felt so real. He was engulfed by her scent and wanted to drink his fill. Every muscle in his body ached for it._

_'It's just a dream, no harm in enjoying it right?' Bigby knew this was wrong, all wrong, but he didn't give a shit._

_Bigby closed the small distance between them, Victoria's lips were as soft as he imagined. His hand glided softly down Victoria's body, as if this image of her would break, his thumb flicked over her stiffening nipple earning him a gasp from Victoria. It was just as sweet as he imagined, he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth which she willingly accepted with a soft moan._

_Bigby shifted Victoria underneath him, his mouth advanced down her jaw to her neck nipping the soft flesh there, earning him the most wonderful noises from the woman underneath him. Victoria dragged her nails down his back as she arched her own, pushing herself into him causing Bigby's growing member to push into Victoria's thigh earning her a deep grunt from Bigby. He kissed his way further down to one of her pink buds, wrapping his warm mouth around it. At this point Victoria was far from trying to remain quiet, she was all but begging him as he was inching closer to her core, throbbing for contact._

_'This feels so real..' every touch, every moan gave Bigby a shock to his system. If this kept going he wouldn't be able to stop himself, but did he want to?  Bigby was slowly losing control, his claws slowly protruding from his fingertips, his canines cutting into his lips. A scream. Red was all Bigby could see, Victoria was screaming for him to let her go, thrashing and trying to escape. Then cold._

_"She won't see you as anything but a monster, after what you've done.."  the last thing Bigby heard before he woke was a child's scream._

"Have a nice dream? You know you might want to take down that tent before she wakes up." Bigby heard Tom's voice, he slowly opened his eyes to see the orange cat looking at him with a smug look.

"Fuck off, Tom.." Bigby said with a groan, rubbing his eyes and looking down to see that he did in fact have an erection, and to make matters worse Victoria's legs were spread across his lap. 'Shit' Bigby mentally cursed himself. They were both tangled up in one of Victoria's blankets, her hair was a tangled mess. 'No wonder I had that dream, being so close like this..' Bigby reached his hand forward and combed some of Victoria's hair out of her face trying to tame the mess, his hand lingered there as he watched her mumble his name. 

Bigby then remembered the end of his dream, he hastily took his hand away as Victoria was slowly waking up. 

"Well good mornin', not-so-sleeping beauty!" Tom's voice rang out as Victoria slowly opened her eyes two see both Bigby and Tom staring at her, and the position she was in, her face growing scarlet. 

Victoria sprang from the couch in a mad dash to the kitchen, "Wow look at the time, is anyone hungry? I know I am, how about some waffles? Every one likes waffles right?" Victoria was almost laughing hysterically as she prattled on.

"Yeah, waffles sound great, don't you think so Bigby?" Tom replied after following Victoria to the kitchen. 

Bigby sat himself down at the table, "Yeah." was his only response as he watched Victoria move around the kitchen at lightening speed, never taking his eyes off her, a small smirk gracing his lips. 

While Victoria desperately tried to focus on making the waffles, her mind kept drifting off to the hardness she felt pressed up against her leg when she woke up. Even as they ate breakfast, washed up, and made there way to the Business Office; it still never left her blushing mind.


	12. Chapter 12

The minute Victoria and Bigby had gotten to the Business Office Victoria was thankful for the amount of paperwork that waited there for her, begging to be completed.

"No sarcastic comments or excuses that you need to be elsewhere?" Snow chirped as she walked into the Business Office, seeing Victoria drilling through the mountain of paperwork in front of her, while Bigby was looking through some files. It looked to Snow like they were desperately trying to busy themselves and ignore each other.

Victoria simply huffed in response, throwing a glare at Snow in the process.

"What are you looking for Bigby?" Snow was trying desperately to relieve the apparent tension in the air.

"Well, we came to the conclusion that Victoria hunted this guy right? Obviously it didn't end with her killing him so she must've brought him here to be processed.." Bigby said, still sorting through the many folders around the Business Office.

"Right, but I already checked the records around 1818. If he went through processing, his file must have been taken out of the system around the time Crane was still here; it wouldn't surprise me actually if they were best of friends." Snow said, looking down at her feet at the mention of Crane, disgust rolling down her spine.

"Victoria, how can you not remember this guy? If you made such an impression on him you'd think you would remember." Bigby said with an annoyed growl, not knowing the effect his words would have on Victoria.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bigby," 'Oh no..' Snow thought, she recognized this tone as the turning point between Victoria's annoyance and her anger.

"I'm sorry that after my hundreds of years of hunting Fables, I can't perfectly recall every single name and face I've ever killed and come across! How about you Bigby? You remember every person that you ate? Every life that you ruined?! Because I can tell you that **you sure as shit don't!** " Victoria was shaking with anger by the end, tears pouring out her eyes.

"Victoria I-" Bigby tried to begin, he had no idea what had set her off.

" **NO!** I-I can't do this, I shouldn't! To think I even let you into my home, let you get close.." Victoria by this point was babbling, her mind had been fighting itself and her feelings since she got to this town. 

"Tori, what are you talking about, please talk to me." Bigby reached out to Victoria in an attempt to comfort and console her.

"Don't you fucking touch me.." Victoria spat, her voice hoarse but dangerous all the same.

Before Bigby could even react, Victoria dashed out of the Business Office. Snow was still frozen in her place, a tear sliding down her own cheek, she couldn't imagine the pain Victoria must  be going through. She could tell how much everything was tearing her down, the case, her feelings towards Bigby..

Snow looked over at Bigby, his head was hung low so she couldn't see his face behind his hair, but she saw how tightly his fists where clenched. Snow opened her mouth to say something but Bigby was out the door just as fast as Victoria had been.

*** * ***

The rain that had developed while everyone was in the Business Office started to pelt down on Victoria as she was mindlessly walking the streets, too lost in her thoughts to care, her grandmothers voice haunting her all the while.

"Vic?" Victoria was too deaf to the world around her to even hear Gren call her name as she walked by.

"Vic, what are you doing you're gonna catch a col-" Gren reached out and spun Victoria around to face him, his voice halting once he saw her red stained eyes and puffy nose, tears still falling down her cheeks.

"Who the fuck did this to you?" Gren's grip on Victoria tightened, anger clear on his face.

"Was it that fuckin' mutt? That good for nothing Sheriff?" Gren said, an ugly sneer pasted on his face, his anger present in his voice.

 At the mention of Bigby, Victoria threw herself at Grendel, face buried in his chest wailing. Gren's expression immediately dropped from anger to shock. It took time but he eventually put an arm around her, not knowing what else to do, so he stayed there till her sobs started to die down.

"Why don't we get out of this rain, yeah?" Gren said as gently as he could, steering Victoria to the Trip Trap.

"You forget something Gren- Victoria? Sweetheart are you alright?" Came Holly's voice upon their entrance.

Victoria tried to nod her head in a 'yes' but she was shaking so bad that Holly couldn't tell and just gave Gren a worried look.

"I'll go get you a blanket and see if I have any dry clothes." Holly said after helping Gren move her to a chair, speeding off to the back of the bar like a mother hen.

Gren wordlessly went and fetched a bottle of whatever alcohol was laying out and brought it over to the table with two glasses, pouring a generous amount into both. 

"Here sweetheart, come in the back, I have some of Lily's old clothes still, might as well get use out of them instead of letting them collect dust." Holly motioned for Victoria to follow.

Victoria walked to the back and saw the clothes laid down on the cot, red hoodie and a black pair of jeans. 'Of course, what else would it be?' Victoria growled in her mind but started changing nonetheless while Holly pulled out a blanket. Once she was finished, Holly draped the blanket over her shoulders and followed Victoria back to the table.

"You don't have to tell us, but if you feel like you want to talk we will be here, alright?" Holly said, leaning over the table to grasp Victoria's hand.

"Thank you guys, for everything really, I must look really pathetic right now.." Victoria said trying to get herself to laugh.

"Don't worry about it Vic, we all got our bad day's." Gren said with a smile towards Victoria.

"Yeah, for normal people maybe, but you're bad days are every day." Holly responded to Gren with a smirk, gaining a laugh from Victoria.

"I dunno, I got to see Vic today even though it was under shitty circumstances, so I can call this a good day at least so far." Gren replied, gulping down his drink with a smile.

They sat for a few hours, trading friendly blows at each other, Victoria couldn't understand why people saw Gren and Holly in a bad light, they were treating her like family without hardly knowing her. Victoria felt so relaxed, wishing she could pause this moment in life and enjoy it while she could, but she knew the best things don't last when it comes to her.

As if someone read her mind, the door to the Trip Trap was slammed open, a soaking and breathless Bigby in the doorway, his eyes found Victoria's immediately.

Gren's glass shattered between his fingers, "You're not fucking welcome here right now Wolf!" 

"Bigby it would be best if you left for now, don't worry, shes in good hands." Holly piped in with a small smile, her eyes begging Bigby to just turn around and leave.

Victoria had dropped her eyes the moment they had met, they were now fixated on the strings of the red hoodie. Bigby ignored both Holly and Gren, his eyes never leaving Victoria as he walked forward towards her.

Gren stood up at lightning speed, blocking Bigby from reaching Victoria, holding a shard of his broken glass to Bigby's neck.

"One more fuckin' step, I dare you." Gren said staring Bigby straight in the eyes, but Bigby's gaze never left Victoria.

Victoria shot up as soon as Gren put the glass to Bigby's neck, pulling at Grens arm. "Gren don't.." 

"Why shouldn't I? The way this bastard made you cry, it ain't right." Gren huffed, looking back at Victoria slowly dropping the makeshift blade and throwing it to the ground.

Bigby just continued to look at Victoria with pleading eyes, his hair dripping and clothes clinging to his wet body, a small shiver setting in making Bigby look like a wet puppy. It took everything Victoria had to keep a straight face.

"Look, you don't have to go far, but..give us a few minutes, please Gren?" Victoria said hoping Gren would understand and do as she asked.

For a second Gren looked heart broken, but he put up his regular grumpy face and gave a curt nod and went to sit at the bar, Victoria's eyes followed him the whole way taking every last second she had till she had to look at Bigby.

Victoria sighed, slowly turning to face Bigby, "Look, Bigby I don't think this will-"

The second before their eyes met Bigby placed his hands on either side of Victoria's face, his lips smashing into Victoria's with a hunger she had never experienced. His hands were rough, but his lips were like silk capturing every single breath. She didn't know how long it lasted, seconds, minutes? But she didn't care, she melted into him returning the kiss with equal fervor, her hands running up to tangle into his dripping locks of hair. She couldn't tell if she was crying or it was the water from Bigby's hair dripping onto her face as they stood there bodies flush together. He kissed her until Victoria forgot how terrified she was of everything that was wrong with her life,  they kissed like drowning people breathe—like suddenly they'd discovered something that had never been so sweet before that moment. 

When they finally pulled away, it was almost as if they were grasping for breath, Bigby nudged his nose against Victoria and he took her into his arms again, using all his strength to be gentle, and let his lips touch hers so lightly he could hardly feel it. 

The only thing on Bibgy's mind after that, as he stared into her eyes was 'I kissed her. I kissed her and kissed her. I hope I didn't bite her lip. Oh god she tastes like honey-vodka.'

Victoria smiled up at him,  she never imagined Bigby tasted better than fire-whiskey, nor that his kisses would be as warm as pie. The whole world opened up and she simply fell inside. She didn't know where she was, but she didn't care. She didn't care because the only person who mattered in that moment was there with her.

Just as Victoria opened her mouth to speak, the door to the Trip Trap was throw open one more time.

"Hey, have any of you seen Red Riding Hood? Ms. White sent me out to look for her since Mr. Wolf hadn't come back with her and.." Flycatcher finally let his eyes do the work and noticed both Bigby and Victoria standing in the middle of the room clung together.

"Red, thank goodness! Ms. White has been worried sick about you two!" Flycatcher said with a smile. 

Victoria's face went white, her heart sank. Bigby went rigid against her body, his grip on her tightening and shaking, tears started falling down his face as he turned to look at Victoria with a look that said the light in his life had just died, heartbreak and sorrow mixing with anguish and pain. He let out a rattled sobbing breath.

"...Red?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, my editor is currently in tears yelling at me. Anyways, tell me your thoughts and don't forget to leave a kudos or comment! Till next time lovelies. (;


	13. Chapter 13

_Anyone with a heart, with a family, has experienced loss. No one escapes unscathed. Every story of separation is different, but we all understand that basic, wrenching emotion that comes from saying goodbye, not knowing if we'll see that person again - or perhaps knowing that we won't._

"Tori?" Cold wet hands grasped at Victoria's shoulders.

 _Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously._  

"Tori, tell me it's not true, tell me this is a dream.." Bigby let his tears flow freely, shaking the woman in front of him.

_Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones. We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light._

"Bigby I.." Victoria couldn't find the words, they stuck in her throat leaving a nasty bile.

"It's true, I know it is. I just didn't want to believe it, what I did to you.."  Bigby wasn't looking at Victoria anymore, he was somewhere else, deep in his mind. A little girl's scream echoed in his mind, a little girl in a red cloak.

He couldn't be here, not right now, knowing what he had done to this woman; this woman that made him believe that the Big Bad Wolf's second chance could have a happy ending. Bigby dropped his grip on her, quickly making his way to the door.

Victoria ran after him, back into the storm outside that had only got stronger, stopping under the Trip Traps awning.

"Bigby! Bigby please stop and let me explain!" Victoria yelled after Bigby.

Bigby paused only slightly, casting a small glance over his shoulder.

"..please." Her voice was a whisper in the rain but Bigby heard it so clearly.

Bigby continued forward, this time not stopping as he heard the screams and protests of the woman that made his heart soar.

*** * ***

The sound of the pounding rain was the only reprieve from the silence that accompanied Gren as he walked Victoria home, his arm around her catatonic form keeping her under their shared umbrella.

"Thanks." Victoria mumbled, her eyes glazed over looking at nothing in particular as they reached her door.

"Yeah, no problem Vic." Gren said looking down at his shoes, thinking his words were falling on deaf ears.

"Not Red?" Victoria's voice rang out, surprising Gren.

He looked up to met Victoria's eyes, "What?"

"You called me Vic and not Red." Victoria was staring into Gren's one good eye, as if looking for the answers to all her problems. 

Gren gently put his hands on Victoria's shoulders and gave her a soft yet sad smile, "I don't know what you're talking about, I don't know any Red Ridin' Hood. The only person I'm with now is a girl who when I first met her smiled at me; a smile that cost nothing but gave much more than you knew, the memory of it will last forever for me."

Victoria didn't know what to say, here she was with a man who she knew had strong feelings for her, who would do as she asked if she simply asked it, but it wasn't the one her soul yearned for.

Gren could see it in her eyes, she didn't have to answer, he saw it every time she looked at him, the fuckin' wolf.

Gren leaned forward, "You'll always be Victoria to me." and with his last word he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, as if sealing a promise there Gren didn't want Victoria to forget. 

Gren left Victoria at her door, so much was going through Victoria's mind that she was sure she would explode at any moment.

The minute she fished out her keys and threw her door open she ran to her room, ignoring Tom's questions about 'What's wrong?' and 'Are you okay?', she threw herself onto her bed and smashed her pillow into her face.

Tom followed her in and hopped up on the bed, sure to be cautious with his approach.

"Hey, Vic are you-" before he could finish with yet another question Victoria's hand shot out and grabbed him pulling him into a very uncomfortable bear hug, he tried with all his might to push and wiggle himself out of her death grip.

"Would ya let go, you're smothering me here! Not that i'm complainin' about all the attention sweetheart, but.." as Tom was saying this he noticed his fur at his neck was wet, he stopped mid escape and listened to Victoria's now apparent sobs. He let her hold him like that until she cried herself to sleep.

*** * ***

_Warm, warm strong familiar arms._

_Victoria knew she was dreaming, but she didn't care, it was the only comfort she found in this profoundly fucked up day._

_It was his smell that gave him away, that smell of whiskey and cigarette smoke. As much as she hated it, it had become such a comfort to her, familiar and welcoming._

_Bigby was stroking her hair soothingly as they laid tangled  up in her bed, his arms securing her to his chest. He was whispering sweet nothings to her as if there was no tomorrow, everything she had wanted to hear spill out of that velvety mouth._

_"I wish you would be there when I wake up." Victoria said to her own fabricated illusion._

_"I promise, I will find you." Bigby's voice echoed back in her mind._

_"What do you mean?" Victoria questioned, she didn't like the way that sounded._

_"I need you to be brave, to go back to the hunter version of you. I will find you, I swear." Bigby's voice was quivering._

_"What the Hell are you talking about?" Victoria pushed herself away from the imaginary Bigby._

_"You'll find out as soon as you wake up, just stay strong and wait for me." Bigby closed the distance again to place a soft kiss on her lips, his eyes full of sadness._

_"Bigby, what are you-"_

Victoria jumped, causing herself to wake up, 'I must have slept for awhile, it's still dark.' Her wrists felt oddly cold against her warm sheets but something smelt off. 'Wait..'

"Ah, sleep well my dear?" the sickly voice rang out in the darkness.

'No, no, **NO**!' Victoria repeated over and over again in her head, she sprang up from the bed only to be caught at the chains at her wrists and ankles, causing her to fall back onto the bed.

"Don't fight them darling, you'll just end up hurting yourself." The voice came from right behind Victoria, she swung out blindly.

"Tsk tsk tsk, is that the kind of behavior you show your host?" the voice was now across on the other side of the room.

"Show your fucking face you monster, or are you too afraid?" Victoria spat out.

As soon as the words spilled out of her mouth Victoria was blinded by a sudden light, she shielded her eyes waiting for them to readjust, she felt the bed shift.

As soon as she opened her eyes she regretted it, steely blue eyes were staring straight into her whiskey ones. "Me? Me afraid of you? On the contrary dear, I wanted to see and savor that precious look on your face the minute you remembered me."

She crawled as far away as she could till her back hit the headboard, looking at the _man_ in front of her.

His black, raven hair neatly parted, his creamy pale skin that matched her own, and those blue eyes. How could she forget those eyes?

"Do you remember now? I can see that you do, what's my name?" Those blue eyes were wild now, turning his handsome face crazed.

She remember him, that night she saved him and tended to his wound that would have killed him, she watched over him till he could travel and took him to Fabletown.

"..Victor?" 

"Yes you've almost got it!" He was crawling across the bed toward her shaking with excitement.

"Victor Frankenstein.."


	14. Chapter 14

"Victor.." Victoria was testing the name in her mind, waiting for some recollection about how this man could become so obsessed with her, but no feelings came along with the memories. From Victoria's side, it was the average job besides the fact that it wasn't some horrific creature she was looking for but an attractive man with piercing blue eyes as the reports stated; Dr. Frankenstein must have saw the encounter differently than Victoria just doing her job.

"I must admit," Victoria was startled out of her thoughts, remembering the encroaching Victor, who was merely inches away now, "that hearing my name on your lips is just as sweet as it was all those years ago." Victor finished with a ghoulish grin, leaning in to smell the side of Victoria's neck, tracing his tongue along the flesh there, making Victoria recoil.

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!" Victoria roared, bucking Victor away causing him to fall off the bed.

"Ah, there's that fire." Victor said with a chuckle, pushing himself off the ground and walking over to tug the chains next to the bed causing Victoria's arms to be suspended in the air above her.

"Why, why me? I can't think of anything about that night that would cause you to develop such a disgusting obsession." Victoria grunted out, the cuffs digging into her wrists.

At that Victor let out a sickening, crazed laugh, "Oh, on the contrary darling, is it not true that at times when we feel we are at our lowest point and our light goes out that it can be rekindled by a spark from another person?" Victoria's mind fluttered briefly to Bigby, but she quickly shook the thought away, waiting for Victor to continue, "Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Victor said, staring deeply into Victoria's eyes while he trailed his cold fingers along her jawline and down to the curve of her breast. 

If Victor wanted a reaction from Victoria, she was not going to give in so easily and give him what he wanted, she stared back with bored, dull eyes back into his icy, glacial gaze. She had to focus, survey her surroundings as best as she could without tipping Victor off. As far as she could tell she was in a basement, a set of stairs across the room told her that was her exit, the wall across the bed which she was staring at had a rather extensive set of surgical  tools and machinery. She supposed it was supposed to terrify her but it only gave Victoria more options in which she could escape or kill this beast, the only other thing she could see to her left and right were two sets of black curtains on each side which she assumed hid doors or maybe just blank walls.

"I wouldn't know." Victoria replied dully, after her quick assessment of the room.

"But I think you do," Victor slowly lead his fingers back up to Victoria's throat, "don't try and play me for a fool, I saw you with that filthy mutt this evening. He thinks he can steal what's rightfully **MINE?!** " with the last word Victor violently grabbed Victoria's neck.

Victoria had no way to fight back physically, so she continued to look at him as if she were a soulless husk, as her vision slowly started growing darker by the second; Victor ripped his hands away in disgust.

Victoria could tell he was growing frustrated, he wanted her to fight him. So she would, just not in a way he would expect. 

"He's made you soft, weak..I just need to be the one to rekindle your fire. I can't take what I want until I see that in those eyes again.." Victor started nervously mumbling to himself, raking his fingers through his raven hair. His scream broke the silence , causing him to throw a jar of some sort of chemical across the room, parting one of the black curtains on the side of the room, briefly revealing another door. Her face tried to remain passive.

" **I COULD MAKE YOU HAPPY TOO!** If- if only you gave me a chance.." Victor was shaking, pulling his hair even harder at the roots.

"You're even more delusional than I thought, to think I would care about something as pathetic as you." Victoria said with a satisfied smirk.

"Don't worry, I WILL, get what I want eventually. And after I get it, I will have no need of you." Victor replied, looking through his fingers to stare at Victoria, a toothy smile coming to his lips.

*** * ***

The only thing keeping Bigby company that night was his footsteps hitting the pavement as he walked, his cigarettes long since burned at the beginning of his slow trek. He didn't know how much time had passed till he found himself standing at Victoria's door, his fist raised to knock only to notice the door was unlocked and slightly cracked, light spilling from under the door.

"Tori?" Bigby called out softly, maybe she was expecting him to come by and that's why the door was open?

Bigby pushed the door open the rest of the way, the scent hitting him before he even stepped inside. 

"TORI?!" Bigby ran into the apartment rushing to her room, the bed empty except for the orange cat.

"Tom, TOM!" Bigby picked up the cat, shaking him until he woke up.

"Ugh, Bigby? What's-" Tom stopped himself and sniffed the air, "Oh no, not Vic." 

Bigby threw Tom back down and started sprinting towards the door, the only thing on his mind now was finding Victoria.

'That fucker can't think he can hide her from me, I would know her scent anywhere, hold on Tori..' Bigby was repeating in his mind, there was no time to tell Snow, she had no way of helping Bigby find Victoria anyways, but he couldn't do this on his own; he needed help from someone who could track her just as well, which lead Bigby straight back to the Trip Trap.

Bigby threw the door open, it didn't matter how late it was, Bigby knew he would be here after what had happened today, just in case Victoria would need him again.

"What the fuck do ya want this time, Sheriff?" came Gren's drawl, he had probably been drinking since Victoria had left.

"I don't have time to fight about it, I need your help." Bigby said quickly, walking over to the bar.

"Oh ain't this grand, the Sheriff needs MY help." Gren said with a laugh.

"This isn't about me, it's Victoria, I need your help but we need to leave now!" Bigby replied, growing impatient.

"What the fuck did you do this time?! A piece of shit like you doesn't deserve her." Gren growled slamming his fist down on the table and glaring at Bigby.

"While I would love to fight you all over again and kick your ass, now is not the time. That psycho fuck took Victoria and if we want to find her we need to leave now, before her scent disappears with the wind," Bigby didn't want the words to leave his mouth but if he wanted to get moving he would have to, "and I know you care about her just as much as I do, she needs us." Bigby said through gritted teeth.

Gren's face grew serious, "Well what the fuck are we waitin' for? Let's go!"

Both Bigby and Gren dashed out of the Trip Trap, but Victoria's scent was already being shifted by the wind into two directions, with only a glance and a short nod both men went running in opposite directions.

"Hold on Tori, just hold on." Bigby muttered to the wind, he would find her no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone that has stuck with my story so far, it means the world to me that you guys are enjoying my story on both Wattpad and Archive! Whenever I get comments it always brightens my day, they have all been so positive and supportive! Anyways, here is a new chapter for you guys, enjoy. 
> 
> P.S. I've been dying to write a Fallout Fanfic and would love to know if any of you would be interested in that. (:


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry for the late update! I've been super busy with work and life, writing doesn't pay the bills as I'm sure you all know. (; But I powered through yet another chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it, have a good rest of your day lovelies!

What felt like days were only mere hours; during those achingly long moments, Victor was running around like a madman apparently busying himself with something important. The minute he came down with a tray of food Victoria knew something was up, when he put the spoon to her mouth Victoria lashed out wildly. Apparently Victoria's hunch had been correct because the minute she pushed him off he apparently was fed up in an instant, as if time was precious. Victor pushed her back and went to fill a syringe with whatever kind of poison he had been planning to put into her body with the food, he stormed over and unceremoniously shoved the needle into Victoria's arm.

Victoria felt the cold liquid slowly lull her to sleep against her will.

*** * ***

Bigby's senses where thrown into overdrive, it had been a few hours since Victoria had been taken, and Bigby was starting to worry. It felt like every turn he took he was getting teased and pulled around on his own personal chain. Furious was just too gentle of a word to describe what Bigby was feeling right now, he was losing control of himself as he kept on her trail, the wolf was whispering in his ear and he wanted to give in.

Bigby's back was heaving from his shaky breath, he wouldn't stop running till he had Victoria in his arms, and that creep who had her laid cold at his feet. Victoria's scent was growing stronger as he made it to the edge of Fabletown, in the area Duchess used to live, what used to be the wealthy district. Bigby made his way to the only other home that didn't look as if it was caving in on itself, his hunch was correct as Victoria's scent filled his nose.

Bigby approached the mansion from the side, hiding in the foliage when he heard a rustle from behind him, without so much as a thought Bigby swung his fist toward the noise, connecting with it's target.

"Ah fuck Bigby its jus' me!" came Gren's voice.

Bigby couldn't hide the smirk on his face, "Oh sorry, didn't see you there pal." Bigby replied sarcastically.

"Right, so you don't want to hear what I have to say then about our fucked up friend?" Gren said mockingly.

"Fine then, spit it out already." Bigby grumbled.

"Well, the little bitch is confident enough to not lock his doors, I had time to sneak around inside for a bit before he came back, but I know he has Vic in that psycho-fuck basement of his." Gren muttered.

"How do you know she's in the basement? Did you see her? Is she okay?" Bigby was growing worried with impatience. 

Before Gren could even respond, both of their heads whipped around towards the house when they heard the faintest sound of a scream on the breeze, both launched themselves from  the bushes and towards the front door.

*** * ***

When Victoria woke she felt something cold pressed against her right side, she couldn't yet see what it was as the drug was still slowly leaving her body, keeping her drowsy.

"Ah, I see you finally wake from your slumber, princess." came Victor's sarcastic voice from Victoria's left side, she had just realized the arm that was draped around her waist.

"Fuck. You." Victoria muttered out weakly, her strength was slowly coming back.

"There will be plenty of time for that later my dear, don't be so eager." Victor's sickly laugh ghosted along her neck, his lips trailing kisses down her neck, to Victoria it felt like acid on her skin. She tried to squirm away but the drug kept her body in place.

"Get off of me you deranged asshole!" Victoria groaned out, trying once again to squirm away with better success this time, only for her to freeze when she felt another body beside her.

"Hmm, do you like her? I tried to get everything right.." Victor hummed into her skin, rubbing his lips along her cheek.

Victoria willed her eyes open with all of her strength, her sight slowly adjusting to the room.

"What. The. FUCK?!" Victoria squirmed back into Victor at the sight before her, the naked woman laid on the operating table faced her, a ghostly image of herself but riddled with stitching that held all the parts together. The only thing missing that scared Victoria the most where the empty sockets where the woman's eyes should be, all that was there was a black void staring at her.

Victor welcomed Victoria's retreating form into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head, "I know, no matter how hard I looked I could never find an exact match for your eyes, I thought about using glass ones but it wouldn't be the same."

"M-my..eyes..?" Victoria stuttered in fear.

"Yes, a particular shade of brown, like sunlight shining through your favorite glass of bourbon. But that once sweet bourbon can also grow hard from the cold harsh reality that is apparent in this world. You can see the heartbreak and the depression that you hid from all those around you so well." Victor was looking at her now, Victoria's body beneath him, it was as if he saw the world by merely looking into her eyes.

Victoria's heart stopped, not because of fear but because how true his words ran in her ears, it caused tears to escape from her eyes. Victor brought up an icy finger and slowly brushed them away tenderly, as if he might break her.

"But those eyes will never love me.." Victor slowly started taking his scalpel from his pocket.

"So what, you're just going to kill me and take what you want then?" Victoria said with a shaky voice, more tears flooding down her face.

"No! No no no no, darling. I could never kill you, it would haunt me every time I looked into those eyes." Victor said grabbing Victoria's face and pressing those sick kisses on her eyelids, she felt something metal in his palm.

"Then..?" Victoria muttered, trying not to open her eyes till the last moment to confirm her fears.

"I just need to take what is left, that is it, then I'll let you go." Victor trailed the edge of the scalpel along Victoria's face.

Victoria started thrashing from underneath Victor, trying to get him off and away, she managed to buck him off slightly but he became furious at Victoria's protest and slashed at her, the blow cutting her from her eyebrow down to her cheek. She let out a gut clenching scream.

"SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO?! The more you fight the worse this will be for you!" Victor spat.

Victoria could see the scalpel descend,  knowing that it would be the last thing she would ever see, but it never came. The door to the basement came crashing open, Bigby and Gren sprinting down the stairs, a smile spread across her face at the sight of the two men. 

Victor had no time to react as Bigby ran over and picked him up, throwing him off of Victoria, causing Victor to collide with the metal table that held his creation, sending it crashing into the opposite wall.

Bigby looked back at Victoria for the second he could spare, "Gren, get Victoria out of those chains and get her out of here!"

Gren took no time to even argue and ran over to rip the cuffs off of Victoria with ease, thanks to the supernatural strength both he and Bigby shared, putting his arms under her knees and shoulders to carry her bridal style, noticing she was still weak from whatever this creep had done to her.

"No! Bigby I-" Victoria started weakly pleading.

"We will have time to talk later, I promise." Bigby said looking back at her in Gren's arms giving her a small smile, pulling out his own cuffs to restrain Victor.

"Come on Vic, he has it handled and we gotta take care of that nasty cut alright?" Gren said giving her his own small grin.

Victoria gave him a small nod, keeping her eyes on Bigby's back till Gren had gotten her all the way up the stairs, once Bigby was out of Victoria's sights she laid her cheek against Gren and let herself be lulled to sleep, the last thing she heard was Victor's pained groan as Bigby punched the bastard square in the face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, sorry it's so late.. PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

_"Do you think she'll be okay Doc?"_

Victoria stirred, her limbs felt as if they were kept down by cinder block.

 _"Don't worry Bigby, Miss Van Helsing will be quite all right. She just has to make sure that cut stays clean and to get plenty of rest. She should be fine by tomorrow with minimal scarring."_  

'Hm? Bigby? Oh, right..I think I remember now.. but what about..' Victoria was slowly piecing together the last memories she had before she had passed out.

_"With the work she's done, I'm surprised she don't 'ave a few more scars than that."_

_"Wouldn't you like to know.."_

'Gren and Tom, I must be at home.. I'm guessing they called Swineheart.' Victoria shifted her weight, trying to will herself to wake up.

_"Tom-!"_

_"Aye, shuddup will ya? I think our heroine is finally waking up."_

Victoria's eyes started to slowly flutter open, she could see Tom sitting at the foot of her bed looking at her with concern. The moment Tom had said that Victoria was waking up, both Bigby and Gren had tried to make a rush to her side, causing them to bump into each other.

 "I appreciate the help Gren, but you're not needed here anymore." Bigby growled out defensively.

"Look pal, you ain't the only one who cares for her, I'm her friend too." Gren glared at Bigby with his good eye.

Victoria pushed herself up into a sitting position, causing her to groan, "Bigby? What happened? Is Frankenstein.."

Bigby turned his attention back to Victoria, pushing past Gren to go and sit next to her on the bed, "Everything is fine, that monster is being held in containment as we speak. Snow is preparing for a trial to be held as quickly as possible, but there is no doubt he will be thrown down the witching well."

"Well if that's all I'm needed for, I'll be on my way. Be sure to get some rest, Ms. Van Helsing." Swineheart interrupted, taking his leave.

As soon as the door shut Victoria took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was about to say.

"Are you alright? Maybe you should lie down?" Bigby quickly interjected, trying to guide her to lay back down on the bed, worry plain in his voice.

"No-Bigby listen-" Victoria pushed his hands away, trying to get him to listen instead of fussing over her, "I-I need to talk to him."

"WHAT? No, you are going to stay here while I go and interrogate the bastard and-" Bigby started.

"Bigby, please.. I have to do this, it's not something that I think you would understand but.."

"You're damn right I don't!" Bigby growled.

"Fuck Sheriff, Vic can do whatever the fuck she wants alright? You ain't in control of her life!" Gren piped up making his presence known again.

"OH YEAH-" Bigby started jumping up from the bed, only to be held back by Victoria her form coming between the two men at an alarming speed, a hand on each mans chest.

" **ENOUGH!** I've had my fill of testosterone fueled male dominance!" Victoria boomed, her voice making both the men go quiet.

"Vic-"

"Tori-"

"NO! Both of you shut up and get out. I have things to do and the two of you are not helping my emotional state right now!" Victoria ordered, her voice full of as much authority as she could muster.

Both men looked as if they were puppies who's owner had just given them a strict scolding.

"I'll um, wait in my room I guess and get changed myself. Just tell me when you're ready and I'll walk you to the Business Office.. If that's okay?" Bigby said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck whilst looking down at the floor, avoiding Victoria's icy gaze.

"I'll just follow the doc then.. see you around Vic.." Gren replied equally as awkward as Bigby.

Before Gren could turn to leave Victoria caught him by the hand, throwing him off guard. "Thank you Gren for helping to save me, really, I just need to do this without any distractions or objections from the two of you." Victoria pulled his arm so Gren leaned forward slightly, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Uh, Yeah.. n-no problem Vic. Anytime." Gren stuttered, flush rising to his cheeks before he awkwardly backed away and left Victoria's apartment.

Once the door clicked shut again once more, Victoria could feel Bigby's jealous gaze. 

"Oh, I am so not in the mood for your jealous right now." Victoria said, avoiding Bigbys eyes this time, retreating to her room and closing her door before Bigby could follow her back in.

*** * ***

Needless to say the walk to the Business Office was quiet, the air between Victoria and Bigby thick with unresolved tension and questions each were dying to ask each other. 

Every time Bigby glanced at her it was as if Victoria was lost in her own little world, thinking and processing data, her body on autopilot.

"I'll be just outside if you need anything.." Bigby offered Victoria once more as they stood just outside of the containment cell that Victor was chained up in.

"Thank you Bigby, I promise to answer all of your questions once this is all over." Victoria said just before turning the knob and opening the door to the sick air of darkness awaiting her.

Once the door was closed firmly behind her, Victoria could feel Victor's eyes on her, as she met his. She let herself get lost in them for the first time, 'They're crystal blue, a shade that shouldn't exist on the human body, a shade I immediately crave, a shade that makes my heart beat a little bit faster--almost as if I recognize it. I want to steal it, paint it, throw it into every room I ever decorate. It's the most perfect blue I've ever seen.' Even from this distance his eyes are simply remarkable.

"Did you come to finish the Sheriff's brilliant work my dear?" His voice sounding defeated, but his eyes still desperately trying to maintain his calm, menacing composure. She could see that Bigby had not only punched Victor once but multiple times. They may not have been on his face after the first, but it was obvious every time Victor breathed that his breath came out ragged.

"It would be easier if that was the case, wouldn't it?" Victoria replied, feeling her fear slowly leaving her as she continued forward towards Victor.

"Then do pray tell, to what do I owe the pleasure to this visit? You didn't miss me did you?" Victor said, giving a wicked toothy grin.

"I actually came to tell you that you were right." Victoria replied, stopping just inches from Victor.

"Pardon?" Victor's face lost all amusement, confusion visible on his face. 

"At the time I think I couldn't admit it, what person in their right mind could in that situation with a person like you? It scared me, but.." Victoria crouched down to Victor's level, looking him straight in the eyes, directly into his soul as he did her for the first time. For an instant, she stared directly into those soft blue eyes and knew, with an instinctive mammalian certainty, that they were no longer even remotely human. 

"That night I saved you, was really the night you died. I murdered who you were, who you could've been, and I am so sorry. You looked into my soul so deeply you couldn't climb out, I left you there in the dark, not knowing that I had left you there not seeing what you're own eyes held." Victoria reached a shaky hand up to comb away his raven locks that were dangling in his face.

"..and what is it that you see?" Victor whispered, he felt dampness sliding down his cheeks, and something else he couldn't understand. 

"You think your life contains no future , just the past, sealed away; as if the past can come back to life. Everything in the world is sealed up inside, clear and distinct. The ice in your eyes can preserve all kinds of things that way- cleanly, clearly. That ice has slowly traveled to your heart, so you sit here so alone, not because the room is empty but because your heart is. When you felt my flame you threw yourself into it as if your were a child who didn't know what was before them could destroy them." 

Victor was remembering the feeling, that feeling he had left back in Transylvania when he lay dying on the floor before this woman came to save him. Fear. He could taste it.

"You thought I could help you start over, so you clung to me so tightly you burned your very soul. If I had just payed attention I could've melted the ice that froze you to the past, and given you your new future." Victoria had tears of her own staining her face, Victor couldn't understand why.

"I won't let them kill you for my mistakes Victor, it has to be me, it's one of the few last things I can give you." 

Without a second thought Victoria pulled the knife she had concealed in her boot out preparing herself, tears streaming down her face, and the she did the simplest thing in the world. She leaned forward and kissed him, and the world cracked open, the hilt of the blade sticking out of Victor's stomach. 

Victor could feel the fire he yearned for finally embracing him back, "Thank you.. Ms. Victoria Van Helsing, for saving my life. I do hope to see you again." 

Victor's form slumped against the chains his head resting on Victoria's shoulder as she cried and continued to stroke his hair back as he grew cold.

"Next time you'll find your happy ending, I promise you.." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally got a new chapter out, sorry it took forever but my mind had been elsewhere. Work, life, etc. and not to mention Overwatch. Anyways I have also started chapter 17 and plan to release that soon and not have you guys wait another month! Don't forget to comment and kudos! 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr for updates and more: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nyvera


	17. Chapter 17

Explaining what had happened in that room to Bigby and Snow was as difficult and embarrassing as Victoria had imagined.  But thankfully they seemed to understand in their own way and dropped the subject; Snow had a lot of paperwork to do now. 

"The two of you should go home and get some rest. I'm sure the two of you have more to talk about before the day ends." Snow said into the awkward silence.

Bigby glanced at Victoria slumped in a nearby chair, "Yeah." was all he offered in response, reaching down to pull up Victoria. She didn't give any resistance, and simply followed Bigby out of the Business Office and towards home. Bigby couldn't say where her mind was drifting to, but he could only imagine. Within the last few days a lot had happened, and it seemed that there wasn't enough time to process everything that had happened.

"You know Bigby.." Victoria's voice started, startling Bigby from his thoughts.

"Our life is made up of time. Our days are measured in hours, our pay measured by those hours, our knowledge is measured by years." Victoria said, eyes looking at some unknown horizon that only she could see.

"Well, I suppose.. but as Fables we have all the time in the world, it might not seem like it now but.." Bigby started, not really sure what to say. 

"But our time eventually runs out Bigby, it's true time itself will never kill us, but each others actions.." Victoria stammered out.

Bigby stopped in front of the red door to Victoria's apartment as they always had, after tonight he would probably be leaving the next day as he was not needed there to protect her anymore; Tom could watch over her.

"What are you getting at Tori?" Bigby asked, putting a hand on Victoria's shoulder and pulling her to face him.

"Bigby.. don't you ever wonder in your heart if those seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and decades were being spent the best way they possibly could? Or that you made the right choices?" Victoria responded, turning to look at Bigby.

"You would know better than most that I do, Red.." Bigby said, casting his eyes away from Victoria, and rummaging through his pockets for a cigarette. 

"Don't.." Victoria took one of Bigby's fidgeting hands in hers and the other raised his face to look at her once more.

"I just don't understand why you haven't killed me yet.. I ruined your life and took your grandmothers with me!" Bigby wanted to rip himself away from Victoria, she shouldn't be looking at him like this.

"You did Bigby, and I hated you for it, a part of me will always be that little girl who cowers in the dark from the Big Bad Wolf." Victoria could feel Bigby's anger and anxiety ebbing from him.

"But that little girl died the same night her grandmother did," Bigby stilled at those words, "just as the Big Bad Wolf did when we all escaped the homelands." Victoria flashed Bigby a small smile.

"We are all still living in the past, surrounded by secrets, but I just want to be Victoria; there comes a point in your life when you realize how quickly time goes by, and how quickly it has gone. Then it really speeds up exponentially. With that, I think you start to put a lot of things into context; you start to see what's important to you.. and Bigby.." Victoria paused looking down at her boots and the hand she still held.

"Victoria are you-" Bigby was quickly silenced by Victoria's lips, she kissed him and the world fell away. It wasn't that long, and it certainly wasn't the kind of kiss you see in movies these days, but it was wonderful in its own way, and all I can remember about the moment is that when our lips touched, I knew the memory would last forever.It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.

"You are the only thing left in this world that feels right Bigby, and I don't think I can judge what is right or wrong right now, but I know that this is what I want." Victoria muttered after they had broken away for a breath. 

His hands slid down to her waist, he had no idea what he would have done or said next, if it would have been something he could never have pretended away or taken back, but in that moment Bigby's mouth came down on hers. And that was it. All the self-control he'd exerted over the past weeks went, like water crashing through a broken dam. Her arms came up around his neck and he pulled her against him, his hands flattened against her back, and she was up on the tips of her toes, kissing him as fiercely as he was kissing her. Bigby clung to her more tightly, knotting his hands in her hair, trying to tell her, with the press of his mouth on hers, all the things he could never say out loud...

When Tom heard two crashing bodies burst through the door he knew that he had other places to be and made a quick exit.

The next thing Victoria knew, Bigby had slammed his lips to hers and nearly knocked all wind from her lungs, directing their stumbling forms to her bedroom. Victoria hardly had a moment to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and delved inside Victoria's mouth. It was a very sloppy kiss with the strong scent of that lingering cigarette and whiskey smell she slowly started to love, being exchanged in the intermingling of their billowing breaths. Her arms reached up and tangled around his thick, strong neck. In an instant she had pulled away and arched up into his broad chest, moaning in the contact of body heat against my own, before I drew back into his lips. Victoria could nearly feel the slight burn of  their passion as it rolled off her tongue and seeped down her throat with every push of his tongue against hers.  

Victoria's right hand flowed onto Bigby's open skin at the base of his neck as he lowered her down on the bed, her left hand began greedily undoing his shirt. Their lips parted and clasped onto one another once again, adding of more pressure. Bigby's rough calloused hand slid onto her arm, lifting it and pinning it above Victoria against the headboard. Their kisses grew more greedy, her mouth locking tighter at the feeling of two sharp canines bite into her swollen lip. The heat flowing throughout her body began to grow as she felt his other hand slide underneath her shirt straight through her cleavage and taking it off in one fluid motion, he slowly began to unhook her bodice, the lacey feminine fabric began to hang loosely, more of her alabaster skin beginning to show. Reluctantly Victoria removed her lips from Bigby, laying frailly against the smooth sheets. Her eyes hooded with lust, as she slowly sucked in the cool air. Bigby stared back, his eyes calm but a familiar primal yellow. She rested her forehead upon his as her hand slipped back onto his bare skinned chest, seeing him like this no longer scared her. Her breath was slow. Bigby didn't know what came over him but he mustered all of his strength and without thinking murmured "I love you". 

Victoria paused, not believing what she was hearing, but her slow breathing emitted the same words. Their lips captured once more, their need becoming more apparent as they continued groping each other's flesh, and shedding themselves of the remaining restrictions. Bigby lowered his head to Victoria's chest to swirl his tongue around each of her pink buds, earning him an eager groan from the woman underneath him. His lengthening claws dug into the skin at her hips as gently as he could without causing her pain that was not pleasurable.  He settled himself between her legs, held them down to steady her as his hips pressed into her. Slowly, so _slowly_ , he dipped himself into what Bigby could only describe as sin itself. His slick head parted Victoria's eager folds, She could feel it stretching her beyond what she had ever experienced, even as he held her down in the most accommodating angle. Only once he was fully inside did he release her legs, their hips settled together, sexes joined. Victoria pulled his body closer with her long legs, wrapping them as tightly as she possibly could around his waist. Her hips began to grow impatient, and I soon found myself rocking them up and down, urging him to start moving. His breathing hitched, a wolf's growl escaping his throat, the vibrations of it tickling her to her very core, he began a languid, yet very determined rhythm.

Their bodies moved together in perfect symphony, slow, steady, yet Victoria had never felt anything so intense as it grew more animalistic by the second. She was the ocean and he was the tide, urging her forward, pushing Victoria closer and closer, pulling her further and further out until she was shattering around him, my nails digging into the skin of his back, trying to get him closer, _closer_ , the only thing that she could think of as pleasure made her shake and tremble and clench beneath him as he let out a satisfying roar. Bigby's pace was ceaseless, it was almost cruel when he didn't stop. He continued surging forward, his stiff length unrelenting, unceasing. Victoria's body now sensitive beyond belief that, with a gasp of breath that sounded almost as if he was surprised, he pushed himself as deep as he could and filled me with his seed. Bigby fell, letting some of his weight fall on top of Victoria as she stroked his hair in the afterglow of their passion.

"Bigby?" Victoria murmured, voice shaky.

"...yeah Tori?" Bigby held his breath waiting for her to change her mind and kick him out of her life forever, to say the words he feared most.

"..I-I love you too.." 

_End_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thought I would surprise you with another chapter! (: It was about time for this story to wrap up, but I will be writing one last bonus chapter as to what happens to everyone etc. Thank you to everyone that has stayed with my story and has enjoyed it so far, I'm open to new story ideas as I love to write but would appreciate your input of what you want to read about. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day lovelies! Follow me on Tumblr: http://nyvera.tumblr.com/ I will post updates and share my story ideas and would love to hear from you all.


End file.
